{"id":6429,"date":"2002-08-13T15:29:39","date_gmt":"2002-08-13T19:29:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=6429"},"modified":"2025-02-27T12:05:45","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:05:45","slug":"sacrificial-lamb-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=6429","title":{"rendered":"Sacrificial Lamb (by pkmoonshine)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:<\/strong>.\u00a0 While Adam and his wife, Teresa, are visiting with his family at the Ponderosa, someone from his (Adam\u2019s) past arrives unexpectedly.\u00a0\u00a0 She is in deep trouble and desperately needs his help.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSacrificial Lamb\u201d begins two and a half weeks after \u201cThe Wedding,\u201d and includes the addition of two non-cannon characters.<\/p>\n

Rating T (55,240 word)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Bloodlines Series:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bloodlines<\/a>
\nThe Lo Mein Affair<\/a>
\nThe Wedding<\/a>
\nSacrificial Lamb<\/a>
\nPoltergeist II<\/a>
\nIndependence Day<\/a>
\nVirginia City Detour<\/a>
\nThe Guardian<\/a>
\nLi’l One<\/a>
\nYoung Cartwrights in Love<\/a>
\nSan Francisco Revisited<\/a>
\nThere But for the Grace of God<\/a>
\nBetween Life and Death<\/a>
\nOrenna<\/a>
\nClarissa Returns<\/a>
\nTrial by Fire<\/a>
\nMark of Kane<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Sacrificial Lamb <\/strong><\/p>\n

Chapter 1 — Exodus<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m NEVER . . . never, never, EVER gonna try and out bluff my brother playing poker ever again!\u201d<\/em> Stacy Cartwright vowed silently, as she crossed the yard, between the house and barn with bucket and shovel in hand.\u00a0\u00a0 It all started with a friendly, penny ante poker game after supper last night . . . .<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, OLDEST Brother of Mine,\u201d Joe said, his face set like granite, void of any and all sign of emotion, \u201cI\u2019ll see your raise . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He dropped three toothpicks, one by one, on top of a large and still growing pile in the middle of the dining room table.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c . . . and I\u2019LL raise it by FIVE more.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0Again, one by one.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cDadburn it, Li\u2019l Brother, you\u2019re gettin\u2019 awful greedy!\u201d Hoss groused in disgust.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cNot at all, Big Brother, not at all!\u201d Joe retorted in a lofty tone.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI just figured that it\u2019s time to start separating the adults from the children.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cAdults from the children indeed!\u201d Adam remarked sardonically, as he and Hoss each took five toothpicks from their respective piles and added them to the one in the middle of the table.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cStacy?\u201d\u00a0 Joe turned toward his younger sister expectantly.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cDarn!\u00a0\u00a0 I used up the rest of what little toothpicks I had on ADAM\u2019s last raise,\u201d Stacy sighed dolefully.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou guys wouldn\u2019t consider extending me a little credit . . . would you?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cNot a chance,\u201d Joe said firmly, \u201c \u2018specially since you won\u2019t be seeing your allowance again until sometime next month . . . . \u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

That was part of her punishment for the barroom brawl she had unwittingly instigated at the Silver Dollar Saloon on the night of Matt Wilson\u2019s bachelor party two and a half weeks ago now.\u00a0\u00a0 She had no idea . . . no idea in the world that the fracas would escalate to the scale it finally did.\u00a0\u00a0 Thankfully, she was able to pay for the damage done to the Silver Dollar, through a stroke of sheer luck.\u00a0\u00a0 Had that not been the case, she, in all likelihood, wouldn\u2019t be seeing her allowance ever again until certain nether regions known for unbearably hot temperatures experienced a sudden cold snap.<\/em><\/p>\n

Pa HAD taken all those things into account . . . .<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201c . . . along with the fact that I was trying to help out a friend,\u201d she murmured softly.<\/em><\/p>\n

Bless his heart, he HAD gone a lot easier on her than he might have otherwise.\u00a0\u00a0 Although Stacy knew and appreciated that, it DID make times like this difficult.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLooks like I\u2019m done for the night,\u201d she sighed again.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, now you just hold on right there, Little Sister,\u201d Joe said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou might be able to offer up something in trade.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cLike what?\u201d Stacy asked warily.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cStarting tomorrow morning, it\u2019s MY turn to muck out the stalls for a week,\u201d Joe said.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cSo?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cSo . . . if YOU win, you collect the pot.\u00a0\u00a0 If I win, you take MY turn mucking out the stalls.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cNow you just hold on right there, Li\u2019l Brother,\u201d Hoss protested with a scowl.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat do Adam \u2018n I git out of it?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cTell you what,\u201d Joe said slowly, thoughtfully.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIF Stacy\u2019s agreeable, the deal can include taking YOUR turn to muck out the stalls the week AFTER.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Hoss smiled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI can live with that,\u201d he agreed.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s just fine and dandy for the two of YOU, but what do I <\/strong>get out of it?\u201d Adam demanded.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you want out of it, Adam?\u201d Joe asked.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYou was talkin\u2019 the other night \u2018bout how Benjy \u2018n Dio ain\u2019t had much chance at learnin\u2019 to ride a horse,\u201d Hoss said.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Adam nodded his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSo what?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cSo Stacy here\u2019s \u2018bout the best there is when it comes t\u2019 teachin\u2019 folks how t\u2019 ride,\u201d Hoss said, with a touch of pride.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMaybe we could sweeten the pot by havin\u2019 HER teach Benjy \u2018n Dio when they come in a couple o\u2019 weeks.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Adam looked over at his wife, Teresa, seated next to Ben on the settee with her nose firmly planted in the book cradled in her hands.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTeresa?\u00a0\u00a0 How does that sound?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

No answer.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cTeresa . . . . \u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Ben reached over and gently touched her shoulder.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTeresa, I think y—\u201d \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

His words were rudely cut off mid-sentence when his daughter-in-law gasped and started violently.\u00a0 The book seemed to leap from her hands, arcing high above her head, and landing with a dull thud on the coffee table.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cS-sorry I startled you,\u201d Ben murmured a quick apology.<\/em><\/p>\n

Teresa noted her father-in-law\u2019s quick, rapid breath, and dark brown eyes round as saucers.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cL-looks like I should apologize myself . . . for startling YOU,\u201d she said sheepishly.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI-I think Adam was trying to get your attention.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Teresa nodded her thanks, then turned and looked over at her husband expectantly.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe were discussing the possibility of Stacy teaching Benjy and Dio how to ride when they get here,\u201d Adam said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIs that alright with you?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cStacy IS very good at teaching other people how to ride,\u201d Ben hastened to assure his daughter-in-law.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou couldn\u2019t ask for a better teacher, even if she IS my daughter and I DO say so myself.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Teresa smiled and nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s alright with ME, Adam,\u201d she consented, \u201cIF Benjy and Dio WANT to learn.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s fair enough,\u201d Adam agreed.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cOK, as dealer, I call,\u201d Joe said.\u00a0\u00a0 He fanned his cards and placed them down on the table.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe may as well declare me the winner here and now, Folks.\u00a0\u00a0 I <\/strong>have a full house.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t count your toothpicks yet, Baby Brother,\u201d Adam said, grinning from ear to ear.\u00a0 \u201cIf memory serves, four of a kind beats a full house.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He spread his cards, four sevens, nine of hearts high down on the table for all to see.<\/em><\/p>\n

Stacy exhaled the breath she had been holding.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLooks like I\u2019M the big winner tonight,\u201d she declared with a broad grin.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cRead \u2018em and weep!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWouldja look at that?!\u00a0\u00a0 Nine . . . ten . . . jack . . . queen . . . and king of clubs!\u201d\u00a0 Joe\u2019s hazel eyes nearly bulged right out of their sockets.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLittle Sister here was sitting on a straight flush, and a real high one at that!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cLooks like our baby sister speaks true,\u201d Adam sighed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOnly one thing can beat THAT hand . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He started to push the large pile of toothpicks dominating the center of the table over toward Stacy.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cNow you jus\u2019 hold on right there, Adam!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss reached out, placed a restraining hand on Adam\u2019s forearm.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cY\u2019 ain\u2019t seen MY hand yet!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He placed his cards down on the table, one by one, smiling victoriously.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTen . . . jack . . . queen . . . king . . . an\u2019 ace . . . of hearts!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t believe this!\u201d Joe squeaked, as he, Stacy, and Adam stared down at Hoss\u2019 cards, their faces identical masks of shock and astonishment . . . .<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cJust my luck!\u00a0\u00a0 The first decent hand I had all night . . . and Big Brother gets dealt a ROYAL flush!\u201d<\/p>\n

Stacy paused momentarily, at the midway point of her trek between house and barn, to watch the sunrise.\u00a0\u00a0 The murky, deep port wine, almost black sky faded into varying shades of maroon and blood red as the sun cleared the line of trees and mountains along the distant horizon.\u00a0\u00a0 The deeper reds brightened to brilliant shades of crimson and scarlet, then to a luminous near orange.<\/p>\n

The words of a rhyme Silver Moon, her Paiute foster mother, taught her as a child many years ago rose to the forefront of her thoughts, as she turned and resumed her trek to the barn:<\/p>\n

\u201cGrandfather Sun wakes from bed<\/p>\n

to sky of red<\/p>\n

fierce storms lie ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0That reminded her of another rhyme, one she had learned from her father. \u00a0He had obviously learned it long ago, when he made his living as a sailor back east:<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cRed sky at night,<\/p>\n

sailors\u2019 delight.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Red sky in the morning,<\/p>\n

sailors take warning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Upon reaching the barn door, Stacy relegated the weather rhymes and their dire portent to the back of her mind, and turned her thoughts to the chores at hand.\u00a0\u00a0 She shifted the shovel from her right to left hand, then reached out to open the door.\u00a0\u00a0 As her fingers loosely closed around the handle, she noticed that the door stood slightly ajar.\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy frowned.\u00a0\u00a0 She had been the last one to leave the barn last night, and knew full well that she had firmly closed the door behind her.<\/p>\n

Stacy tightened her grip on the door handle and opened the barn door, slowly and quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 She set the bucket just inside the door, then grasped the shovel in both hands.\u00a0\u00a0 Allowing her eyes a moment to adjust from daylight outside to the dimness inside the barn, Stacy\u2019s eyes moved slowly over every square inch lying within her field of vision.\u00a0 \u00a0There was nothing amiss.\u00a0\u00a0 She tightened her grip on the shovel, and stepped through the door, into the barn.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHello?\u00a0\u00a0 Is anyone there?\u201d<\/p>\n

Her horse, Blaze Face responded with a soft whiny.<\/p>\n

Stacy nickered back in response.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGood morning, Blaze Face,\u201d she translated her \u201chorse\u201d greeting into human English.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll be right with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Keeping herself well within the deep shadows of the dimly illuminated barn, Stacy moved silently as Silver Moon had taught her, peering intently into all of the stalls, occupied or not.\u00a0\u00a0 In the empty stall beside Sport II, the horse her oldest brother, Adam, had been using during his visit, Stacy spotted what appeared to be a large sack of potatoes, lying on a mound of straw, under a light, sky blue blanket.<\/p>\n

Suddenly, the \u201csack\u201d rolled over.\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy found herself staring down into a pair of blue eyes, nearly the same shade of bright sky blue as her own.<\/p>\n

\u201cHello,\u201d the \u201csack\u201d greeted her with a wan, tired smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMy name\u2019s Peggy van Slyke, though Uncle Ben, Adam, and the rest of the family probably remember me better as Peggy Dayton.\u201d\u00a0 [i]<\/p>\n

\u201cPleased to meet you.\u00a0\u00a0 My name\u2019s Stacy Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy slowly eased herself from a prone to a sitting position.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou some long lost relative of Uncle Ben\u2019s?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I guess you might say that,\u201d Stacy said wryly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m his daughter.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy\u2019s jaw dropped.\u00a0\u00a0 She stared up at Stacy through eyes round with shock and amazement.<\/p>\n

\u201cLong story,\u201d Stacy said, extending her hand.<\/p>\n

Peggy reached up and grabbed hold of Stacy\u2019s hand with a grip surprisingly strong. \u201cAdopted?\u201d<\/p>\n

Stacy braced herself, then pulled, drawing Peggy to her feet.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYes, I WAS legally adopted, though we found out later he\u2019s . . . well, he\u2019s ALSO my pa . . . by blood.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . uh, l-let me get this straight!\u00a0\u00a0 Uncle Ben adopted you . . . b-but, he\u2019s ALSO . . . your natural father?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI told you it\u2019s a long story.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, I . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 A sudden wave of dizziness sent Peggy\u2019s senses reeling.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you alright?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy anxiously peered into Peggy\u2019s wan face, while gently laying a steadying hand against her back, just below her shoulder.<\/p>\n

\u201cF-fine,\u201d Peggy stammered, squeezing her eyes shut against her spiraling, churning environment.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI guess I\u2019m a bit light headed . . . haven\u2019t eaten much in the last couple o\u2019 three days . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Her cheeks and lips, stained with the fading remnants of cosmetics, stood out in stark contrast against her pallid skin.\u00a0\u00a0 The dress she wore, custom made judging its precise fit, had been fashioned from silk, and dyed blue to compliment her eyes.\u00a0 It had a high empire waist, and square neckline, cut low to tastefully accentuate a pair of full, well rounded breasts.\u00a0\u00a0 The hem of her skirt was torn and muddied, and a maze of deep wrinkles crisscrossed the garment in hopeless profusion.\u00a0\u00a0 Golden tendrils of hair, escapees from what remained of an elaborate coiffure, encircled her face like writhing snakes, emphasizing a pair of enormous sapphire blue eyes and a square chin, set with stubborn determination.<\/p>\n

Gazing into Peggy\u2019s eyes, Stacy was reminded of a fairy tale she had read not so long ago in a book she stumbled across during the course of a rainy day foray through the ranch house attic.<\/p>\n

Titled \u201cThe Handless Maiden,\u201d it was the story of a young woman, whose father had inadvertently given her to the Devil to be his wife in exchange for wealth and prosperity.\u00a0\u00a0 On the day appointed for the Devil to come and claim the daughter as his bride, she dutifully bathed, dressed herself in a white gown, and then sat down to wait.\u00a0\u00a0 When the Devil came, he couldn\u2019t approach her.\u00a0\u00a0 An unseen force hurled him across the yard.\u00a0\u00a0 He angrily promised to return again in a month.\u00a0\u00a0 During that time, the girl was not to bathe.<\/p>\n

A month later, the Devil returned.\u00a0\u00a0 The girl and her parents wept for grief.\u00a0\u00a0 The girl\u2019s tears ran like rivers down her palms and forearms, cleansing them of all the accumulated dirt, grime, and filth.\u00a0\u00a0 Once again, when the Devil tried to approach her, he was tossed across the yard by an unseen force. \u00a0\u00a0The Devil ordered the girl\u2019s father to cut off her hands, on pain of death for all.\u00a0\u00a0 The girl submitted to the amputation, but her continued weeping cleansed the stumps of her arms, barring the Devil from approaching her.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, the Devil rejected her as wife.\u00a0\u00a0 The girl subsequently set out on her own, and eventually met a king, who fell in love with her.\u00a0\u00a0 They married, and she soon after became pregnant with their first child.\u00a0\u00a0 The king went off to war just prior to the birth of the child, and through a series of miscommunications, the girl, now queen, believed her husband wanted to murder her and her unborn child.\u00a0\u00a0 The young queen fled, giving birth to her son in the forest where she sought refuge.\u00a0\u00a0 Her hands, amputated on order from the devil, were also restored.\u00a0\u00a0 Eventually, the king, queen, and infant prince were reunited, and in the way of all fairy tales, lived happily ever after.<\/p>\n

Six engravings, skillfully rendered, with very fine detail, illustrated the story.\u00a0\u00a0 One showed the pregnant young queen fleeing through the woods, for her life.\u00a0\u00a0 Surprisingly, the woman\u2019s face showed not the slightest sign of fear.\u00a0\u00a0 Instead, it radiated a tremendous depth of strength, power, and fierce determination.\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy also saw in that engraved illustration, a beauty there, that rare, awe-inspiring beauty, born of strength and courage, that permeates such a person\u2019s entire being.<\/p>\n

Gazing into Peggy\u2019s pale face and her enormous blue eyes now, Stacy saw the same courageous strength and obstinate determination.\u00a0\u00a0 The face in that engraving had come to life, transforming paper and printer\u2019s ink into flesh and blood.\u00a0\u00a0 Then, in less than the wink of an eye, the image vanished, as if it had never been.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh m-my God . . . I . . . I think I\u2019m gonna be s-sick . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Peggy turned, grasping the sides of the empty stall in which she had slept the night before, as a violent spasm of dry heaves shook her entire body.<\/p>\n

Stacy stepped over beside Peggy, placing her hands gently, yet firmly on her shoulders, hoping her touch might offer some measure of comfort and reassurance.\u00a0\u00a0 She could not remember a time in her entire life when she had ever felt so dreadfully helpless.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI wonder if this is the way PA feels whenever Hoss, Joe, or I\u2019ve come home sick or injured . . . and HE can\u2019t do anything about it either,\u201d<\/em> she mused silently.<\/p>\n

At length, the dry heaving lessened, leaving Peggy feeling exhausted.<\/p>\n

Stacy silently noted, for the first time, the gently rounded belly protruding from under the flow and drape of garment.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCome on, Peggy, let\u2019s get you into the house.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cD-dizzy . . . not sure if I . . . . \u201d Peggy\u2019s words faded into a soft, barely audible moan.\u00a0\u00a0 Her eyes rolled up under her eyelids, and her entire body went limp.<\/p>\n

Stacy, with heart in mouth, grabbed Peggy\u2019s inert body as she pitched forward.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Clinging to the unconscious woman for dear life for fear of dropping her, she managed to ease her back down onto the straw covered floor.<\/p>\n

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

The sound of the front door opening, followed by the clattering staccato of booted feet against hard wood floor drew Adam Cartwright, still clad in nightshirt and robe, from the dining room and his early morning coffee like a shot.\u00a0\u00a0 He found the front door standing wide open and his sister beating a straight path toward the stairs.<\/p>\n

\u201cStacy, you left the front door\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, is Pa awake yet?\u201d she rudely cut him off mid-sentence.<\/p>\n

All reprimands died a sudden quick death, upon getting a good look at her pale face and bright blue eyes round with alarm.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo, I don\u2019t think Pa\u2019s awake yet,\u201d Adam replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIs there something I<\/strong> can do?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a woman out in the barn.\u00a0\u00a0 Says her name\u2019s Peggy van Slyke . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Adam frowned.<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . she told me you might remember her better as Peggy DAYTON.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam could feel the blood suddenly draining from his face.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cP-Peggy . . . d-did you say . . . Peggy Dayton?\u201d<\/p>\n

Stacy nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s out in the barn, Adam.\u00a0\u00a0 She\u2019s in a real bad way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s go!\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Adam followed Stacy across the yard toward the barn, with chaotic thoughts churning through his head a mile a minute.\u00a0\u00a0 Many years ago, Peggy had gone with her mother, Laura Dayton, to San Francisco to join Will Cartwright, his first cousin, who had gone on ahead to accept a job offer.\u00a0\u00a0 The last he had heard of either Laura or Peggy was by way of a letter to his father from Will.\u00a0\u00a0 In that piece of correspondence, dated a year, maybe a year and a half after the Daytons left Nevada, Will had told his uncle that he and Laura had agreed to call off their engagement.\u00a0\u00a0 No reason given, other than the implied mutual consent.<\/p>\n

Adam himself left the Ponderosa and Virginia City soon after, finally settling down in Sacramento, where he met and married Teresa di Cordova, and established for himself a fine career and reputation as an architect.\u00a0\u00a0 Though he hadn\u2019t thought of Laura in the years following, Adam did occasionally think of Peggy, wondering what ever became of the rambunctious, spunky little girl, who he had briefly come to cherish almost as much as he now cherished his own daughter, Dio.<\/p>\n

Adam and Stacy found Peggy, where the latter had left her a scant few moments before, lying ominously still.\u00a0\u00a0 With heart in mouth, he dropped down on his knees beside the unconscious young woman, and gently took her limp hand in his.\u00a0\u00a0 It was alarmingly ice cold to the touch.<\/p>\n

Stacy knelt down on the other side of Peggy, facing her oldest brother.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAdam, she\u2019s not . . . . ?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s alive!\u201d Adam exhaled a long sigh of relief.\u00a0\u00a0 Still holding her hand, he gently patted her cheek and spoke her name in a quiet, firm tone.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPeggy?\u00a0\u00a0 Peggy, can you hear me?\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy moaned softly at the sound of her name.<\/p>\n

\u201cStacy, g\u2019won back in the house and wake Pa,\u201d Adam ordered in a crisp tone, all-business.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTell him I\u2019m putting Peggy in the guest room downstairs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stacy nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 In the next instant, she was gone.<\/p>\n

Adam rose to his feet, then leaned over and scooped Peggy\u2019s limp, inert form in his arms.\u00a0\u00a0 She moaned again as he lifted her, and stirred, though her eyes remained closed.\u00a0\u00a0 As he walked back across the yard, he saw his father standing on the front porch, also clad in pajamas and robe.\u00a0\u00a0 The anxious concern in Ben\u2019s eyes mirrored all the dread Adam himself felt inside.<\/p>\n

\u201cGo ahead and take her on into the downstairs guest room, Son,\u201d Ben said, when Adam reached the front steps with Peggy.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve asked Stacy to wake up Joe.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019m sending HIM into town to fetch Paul.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to get her out of these wet, muddy clothes, Pa,\u201d Adam said tersely, \u201cthe sooner the better.\u00a0\u00a0 Her whole body\u2019s like ice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot WE, Adam, ME!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Teresa, also garbed in nightgown and robe, stood just inside the house with one of her own nightgowns, the red and white striped flannel, draped over her arm.<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Teresa, got towels, nice and hot!\u201d Hop Sing announced as he marched into the great room from the kitchen, with a stack of steaming hot towels.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Hop Sing, I\u2019ll take them,\u201d Teresa said, holding out her arms.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAdam, you take Peggy on into the guestroom.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ll be there directly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded, and carried the still unconscious young woman toward the open door of the downstairs guestroom.<\/p>\n

\u201cTeresa, is there anything I can do?\u201d Ben asked anxiously.<\/p>\n

Teresa shook her head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cFor now, I\u2019m just going to get her out of those wet clothes and into something warm and dry,\u201d she said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cApart from that, we\u2019ll just have to wait and see what Doctor Martin says.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll let Adam and me know when she wakes up?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will,\u201d Teresa promised.<\/p>\n

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

Stacy, meanwhile, ran headlong down the upstairs corridor toward her brother\u2019s bedroom.\u00a0\u00a0 Within seconds, she skidded to an abrupt halt in front of the fast closed door.\u00a0\u00a0 She balled her hand into a tight fist and pounded hard enough to rattle the door on its hinges.<\/p>\n

\u201cGo \u2018way!\u201d a groggy masculine voice groaned from within.<\/p>\n

Stacy threw open the door, and bounded inside.\u00a0\u00a0 Three running giant steps brought her to the side of his bed in less than a second.\u00a0\u00a0 She placed her hand on his shoulder and shook him vigorously.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWake up, Grandpa.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe opened one eye and glared murderously at her.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf you think for one minute you\u2019re gonna weasel out of our bet last night . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa needs you to ride into town and fetch Doc Martin.\u00a0\u00a0 Now!\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe immediately sat up, wide awake, every last trace of grogginess gone.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat happened?\u00a0\u00a0 Someone hurt?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou remember a woman named Peggy Dayton?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cP-Peggy Dayton?!\u201d<\/p>\n

Stacy nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI found her out in the barn a few minutes ago.\u00a0\u00a0 She\u2019s probably with Adam, Pa, and Teresa downstairs in the guest room . . . and from the looks of things she\u2019s in a bad way.\u00a0\u00a0 Pa wants you to ride into town and fetch Doctor Martin.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe threw aside the bedcovers and whipped both legs over the side of the bed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTell Pa I\u2019ll be right down, soon as I throw some clothes on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stacy nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll get Cochise saddled, too, Grandpa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Stace . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

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

Doctor Paul Martin quietly stepped out of the downstairs guestroom, closing the door behind him.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ll be happy to know that Miss Dayt—-no!\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 MRS. VAN SLYKE is going to be just fine,\u201d he wearily addressed the Cartwrights, Ben, Hoss, Joe, Stacy, Adam, and Hop Sing, all clustered together at the door.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAll she needs is a few days bed rest and plenty of good, hot, nourishing food.\u00a0\u00a0 And I DO mean PLENTY!\u00a0\u00a0 That young lady\u2019s eating for TWO.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019 jaw dropped.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cY-you mean . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Paul nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s pregnant, five months along, maybe six.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI kinda thought so,\u201d Stacy said quietly.<\/p>\n

Joe frowned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cY\u2019 know . . . somehow, I can\u2019t quite feature Laura Dayton being a GRANDMA,\u201d he said slowly.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, as I recall, Laura had a certain . . . helpless, childlike quality about her,\u201d Ben recalled thoughtfully.\u00a0\u00a0 A lot of men, his eldest son and nephew among them, were charmed and captivated by that quality.\u00a0\u00a0 As for himself, Ben had always liked Laura well enough as friend and neighbor, and would certainly have accepted her as a daughter-in-law, had she and Adam married.\u00a0\u00a0 Given his own druthers, however, Ben preferred strong, passionate, independent women.\u00a0\u00a0 In years past, he had married three and cherished one more:\u00a0 Elizabeth Stoddard, Inger Borgstrom, Marie di Marigny, and Paris McKenna.\u00a0\u00a0 Now, his life was blessed with three more such women:\u00a0 Stacy, the daughter he had with Paris; Teresa, the woman his eldest son finally DID marry; and Dio, Adam\u2019s daughter, his GRANDdaughter.<\/p>\n

\u201cBen?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Paul?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI need to speak with you.\u00a0\u00a0 Would you mind seeing me to my buggy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Ben and the doctor walked over toward the latter\u2019s buggy in companionable silence.\u00a0\u00a0 Paul carefully placed his black bag on the floor of the passengers\u2019 side, then resolutely turned to face his old friend.<\/p>\n

\u201cBen, I didn\u2019t want to say this in front of the others, but someone\u2019s been beating that young lady,\u201d the physician stated grimly, \u201cto literally within an inch of her life.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat!?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Ben favored the doctor with a bewildered frown.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPaul, are you sure?\u201d<\/p>\n

The physician nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhoever it was has obviously taken care not to leave marks where they would show, but under her clothing . . . . \u201d he sighed, and angrily shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s covered with welts, cuts, and bruises.\u00a0\u00a0 Her entire back is scar tissue and open wounds.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cO-open wounds?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Ben, open wounds, recently inflicted!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHOW recently inflicted?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs recently as four, maybe five days ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben suddenly felt the wind being knocked out of him, as if he had just taken a hard physical blow to his solar plexus.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cY-you mean t-to tell me . . . someone\u2019s been beating her . . . since . . . since—!?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, someone has been beating her throughout her entire pregnancy.\u201d<\/p>\n

A murderous scowl deeply creased Ben\u2019s brow.\u00a0\u00a0 He unconsciously drew the fingers on each hand together, forming a pair of tightly balled, iron hard fists.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhoever\u2019s responsible ought to be taken out and SHOT,\u201d he spat, \u201cjust like any other rabid animal.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI agree with you, Ben, one hundred percent.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid she say who—?\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe man\u2019s name is Brett van Slyke, Ben.\u00a0\u00a0 He\u2019s Peggy\u2019s husband AND the father of her unborn child.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cTHINK, Laura . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Laura Dayton, clad in a powder blue silk dressing gown, trimmed at the neck and sleeves with feathers dyed to match, relentlessly paced the floor of the hotel room she shared with her aunt, wringing her hands in despair.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAunt Lil, please!\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ve spent the last three days thinking, and thinking, and thinking some more, trying to figure all this out, but I don\u2019t know!\u00a0\u00a0 I . . . just . . . don\u2019t know!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDamn it, Laura, we\u2019ve GOT to find her!\u00a0\u00a0 Think HARDER!\u00a0\u00a0 The two of you used to live on the other side of the lake, over in Nevada.\u00a0\u00a0 Surely you had friends . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was a long time ago, Aunt Lil,\u201d Laura whined petulantly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe left there when Peggy was a little girl.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLaura, will you for heaven\u2019s sake STOP that damned pacing?\u201d Lil Manfred snapped.<\/p>\n

Laura immediately stopped mid-stride, and gingerly took a step backward, raising her arms, as if to ward off physical blows.\u00a0\u00a0 Though she stood a good head taller, and outweighed her aunt by a good fifteen, maybe twenty pounds these days, Aunt Lil was still an imposing figure, especially with that look on her face.<\/p>\n

\u201cSit down.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laura meekly obeyed, seating herself primly on the edge of the bed dominating the center of the hotel room.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve GOT to find that sorry, pathetic little bitch, and get her back with her husband, where she belongs.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut, Aunt Lil, Peggy\u2019s been so UNHAPPY . . . especially since she married Brett,\u201d Laura wailed.<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you forgotten which side of the bread OUR fortunes are buttered on?\u201d Lil rounded on her niece furiously.<\/p>\n

Laura hunched down in her satin wrapper, shrinking away from the intense baleful glare her aunt leveled in her direction.<\/p>\n

\u201cLaura, please.\u00a0\u00a0 Get this through your head.\u00a0\u00a0 I lost nearly every penny of that fortune, I inherited from my late husband, MANY.\u00a0\u00a0 YEARS.\u00a0\u00a0 AGO.\u00a0\u00a0 The only reason WE have a nice place to live in San Francisco, with nice clothes, and nice things . . . is because PEGGY is the wife of Brett van Slyke.\u00a0\u00a0 If she\u2019s LEFT him, you and I are out on the street DESTITUTE!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Laura vigorously shook her head.<\/p>\n

\u201cYES, Laura,\u201d Lil addressed her niece in the insultingly condescending way an impatient adult might speak to an extraordinarily stupid child.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe ONLY reason Mister van Slyke provides so generously for US, for you and me, is because Peggy is married to his son.\u00a0\u00a0 If that stupid little brat does anything to change that, he WILL cut us off.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laura looked over at her aunt, through eyes round with horror and dread.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSurely he realizes we have no place to go . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure he does, but if Peggy leaves his son, OUR situation\u2019s no concern of HIS,\u201d Lil shrugged.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhy SHOULD it be?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAunt Lil, Peggy told me he . . . that Brett . . . BEATS her!\u201d Laura whispered, horrified.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat he\u2019s BEEN beating her all along.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, if Peggy\u2019d grow up and stop acting like a spoiled brat, maybe he WOULDN\u2019T beat her,\u201d Lil argued vigorously.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAll right!\u00a0\u00a0 I knew Brett had a temper, AND a bit of a jealous streak, but all men do, Laura.\u00a0\u00a0 They DO!\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s the natural way of things.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam didn\u2019t,\u201d Laura said in a small, sad voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right!\u00a0\u00a0 Adam Cartwright\u2019s one of those rare ones who didn\u2019t,\u201d Lil ranted.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNow if you\u2019d married HIM, you, me, AND Peggy\u2019d be sittin\u2019 real pretty on top of all that nice Cartwright money.\u00a0\u00a0 I had it all set up for ya, Laura.\u00a0\u00a0 I had Adam Cartwright in the palm of your hand, all wrapped up like a Christmas present, but YOU let him slip right through your fingers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI loved WILL,\u201d Laura said defensively, her voice tinged with lonely regret.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou weren\u2019t SUPPOSED to!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I couldn\u2019t help it, Aunt Lil.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t understand you, Laura.\u00a0\u00a0 Adam Cartwright in the palm of your hand, and you cheerfully toss him aside to follow Will Cartwright, the no good, no account first cousin without a penny to his name, to San Francisco . . . only to have HIM dump ya a year and a half later.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t WILL\u2019S fault, Aunt Lil . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, what\u2019s done is done,\u201d Lil said in a dismissive tone.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe can\u2019t go back and change the past.\u00a0\u00a0 All we can do now is try and salvage the present.\u00a0\u00a0 That means finding Peggy and bringing her back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laura buried her face in her hands and began to cry softly.\u00a0 This was all such a terrible, dreadful nightmare.\u00a0\u00a0 She prayed desperately for this horrid dream to end, that she might open her eyes and find herself back in her lovely bedroom in San Francisco, surrounded by that lovely light cream colored wall paper covered with clusters of tiny pink roses and ribbons, with the morning sun shining in the window.<\/p>\n

Or maybe, just maybe, Laura might open her eyes and find that last thirteen plus years had all been a bad dream.\u00a0\u00a0 She would wake up in that ranch house, she once shared with her late husband, Frank, and be a young woman once again.\u00a0\u00a0 Her daughter, Peggy, would again be as SHE should be . . . an energetic little girl, without a care in the world.<\/p>\n

Laura, Aunt Lil, and Peggy had accompanied Peggy\u2019s husband, Brett, to Placerville, where, he had important business.\u00a0\u00a0 So he and his father said, anyway.\u00a0\u00a0 Brett had adamantly insisted on Peggy accompanying him, despite her advancing state of pregnancy.\u00a0\u00a0 Laura\u2019s thoughts drifted back to the frightful row she had overheard between Peggy and Brett the night before they had all left San Francisco . . . .<\/p>\n

\u201cBrett,\u00a0 NO!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Peggy had protested, horrified.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe baby!\u00a0\u00a0 The doctor says— \u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t care WHAT any ol\u2019 doctor says!\u00a0\u00a0 YOU are MY wife, you\u2019ll do as I<\/strong> say!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cBut the baby!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe baby\u2019ll be fine!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cBrett . . . . \u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cAre you having an tryst with Doctor Phillips?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Stunned silence.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWell?\u00a0\u00a0 ARE you?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cNO!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYou ARE!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I\u2019m not, Brett, I swear . . . . \u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cOh yes you ARE!\u00a0\u00a0 You can\u2019t wait for me to go to Placerville, can you?\u00a0\u00a0 You can\u2019t wait because the minute I leave you\u2019ll be in Doctor Phillips\u2019 arms.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cNO!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cOh YES, you will!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Peggy screamed.\u00a0\u00a0 Screamed in agony.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll be in his arms, letting him paw you like . . . like some kind of wild animal!\u00a0\u00a0 ADMIT IT!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cNO!\u00a0\u00a0 I WON\u2019T ADMIT IT, BECAUSE IT\u2019S NOT TRUE!\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 IT\u2019S A DIRTY, FILTHY, VICIOUS LIE!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Peggy\u2019s angry, vehement denial ended in another agonized scream, this one worse than the last.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cADMIT\u00a0 IT, YOU\u00a0 LYING\u00a0 SLUT!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cNO!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI SAID ADMIT IT!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cBRETT, NO!\u00a0\u00a0 PLEASE!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI SAID ADMIT IT!\u00a0\u00a0 YOU ARE<\/strong> HAVING A LOVER\u2019S TRYST WITH THAT DOCTOR.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Peggy screamed again.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019M NOT, BRETT.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019VE NEVER BEEN UNFAITHFUL TO YOU.\u00a0\u00a0 NEVER EVER!\u00a0\u00a0 PLEASE, BRETT, PLEASE BELIEVE ME!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Laura heard the sound of flesh making forceful contact against flesh, mixed with Peggy\u2019s screams of agony and heart wrenching sobbing.\u00a0\u00a0 Laura squeezed her eyes shut, and clapped her hands firmly over her ears.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cN-no,\u201d she sobbed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPlease, no!\u00a0\u00a0 Don\u2019t hurt Peggy, don\u2019t hurt my little girl, please . . . . \u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cLaura, snap out of it!\u201d<\/p>\n

Lil\u2019s words, harshly spoken, forced Laura from her terrible reverie.\u00a0\u00a0 She stared up at her aunt, her cheeks wet with tears, unable to speak.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere!\u201d Lil snapped.\u00a0\u00a0 She angrily threw a clean handkerchief down in Laura\u2019s lap.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWipe your face.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laura, her hands trembling, dutifully picked up the handkerchief and began to gingerly wipe the tears from her cheeks.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was just thinking . . . . \u201d Lil mused grimly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPlacerville\u2019s a good hard day\u2019s ride from Lake Tahoe . . . but, unless my memory of geography\u2019s faulty . . . guess what lies on the OTHER side of the lake?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know!\u201d Laura said petulantly.<\/p>\n

\u201cG\u2019won, Laura, take a guess!\u201d<\/p>\n

Laura had no liking at all for the malevolent smile now oozing it\u2019s way slowly across the lower portion of her aunt\u2019s face.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI . . . I don\u2019t know, Aunt Lil.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Ponderosa!\u201d Lil crowed.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo . . . isn\u2019t that where Adam and his family live?\u201d<\/p>\n

Laura dolefully shook her head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAdam doesn\u2019t live there, Aunt Lil, not anymore.\u00a0\u00a0 I heard . . . oh, its been awhile . . . but I heard that he lives in Sacramento . . . that h-he\u2019s married now, and has a couple of kids.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWeren\u2019t you and Peggy fond of ALL the Cartwrights?\u00a0\u00a0 If memory serves, THEY were pretty fond of the two of YOU.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cY-Yes . . . I suppose so!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Laura, I\u2019ve done some checking around,\u201d Lil said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat Ben Cartwright\u2019s a shrewd one when it comes to making money, no denying THAT!\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It seems he\u2019s had a steamboat line running across Lake Tahoe for a few years now.\u00a0 The boat sails between a landing on this side of Lake Tahoe to another that\u2019s . . . get THIS . . . on the Ponderosa itself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo WHAT?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHonestly, Laura, I swear you\u2019re thicker than a gallon of molasses!\u201d Lil declared with an exasperated sigh.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe point I\u2019m TRYING to make is maybe . . . just MAYBE our pretty Peggy took the boat across to the other side, and hooked up with the Cartwrights.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, Aunt Lil, it\u2019s been so long, and I . . . well, I stopped writing them after Will and I— \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThink about it!\u201d Lil snapped.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe Ponderosa\u2019s convenient, and the Cartwrights are the ONLY ones I know who\u2019d be stupid enough to take Peggy in, even if they knew full well who and what they\u2019re up against, Adam or NO Adam.\u00a0\u00a0 Laura, get dressed, and for heaven\u2019s sake be quick about it!\u00a0\u00a0 You and I will be taking the ten o\u2019clock stage to Virginia City.\u00a0\u00a0 We should arrive there around ten o\u2019clock tomorrow morning.\u00a0\u00a0 We\u2019ll have plenty of time to book a couple of rooms at the International Hotel and freshen up, before paying the Cartwrights a visit tomorrow afternoon.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laura\u2019s heart sank.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAunt Lil, I . . . I really don\u2019t think this is such a good idea.\u00a0\u00a0 Mister Meredith, I\u2019m sure, has things pretty well in hand, and besides . . . after all this time the Cartwrights are . . . well, they\u2019re no better than strangers.\u00a0\u00a0 I don\u2019t think Peggy would go there, I honestly and truly don\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not going to stand here all day and argue the point with you.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Lil\u2019s voice was ice cold.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re going to Virginia City today and tomorrow afternoon, we start looking for Peggy at the Cartwrights.\u00a0\u00a0 End of discussion!\u00a0\u00a0 Now, you get up and get dressed, while I go make the travel arrangements.\u00a0\u00a0 When I get back, I want you packed and ready to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Ma\u2019am,\u201d Laura sighed meekly.<\/p>\n

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

Ben sighed and turned back the pages of his ledger to those dated the first of the month previous.\u00a0\u00a0 Three times he had carefully added the long rows of figures, and come up with three different totals.\u00a0\u00a0 Now he faced the distasteful prospect of going through the entire process a fourth time.\u00a0\u00a0 He closed his eyes and began to gently massage his temples.<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

Oh blessed interruption!\u00a0\u00a0 Ben slowly opened his eyes and looked up into the grim face of Hop Sing.<\/p>\n

\u201cSupper ready ten minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid I just hear you say supper\u2019ll be ready in ten minutes, Hop Sing?\u201d Hoss asked as he stepped through the open front door, into the house.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u00a0\u00a0 Supper ready ten minutes,\u201d Hop Sing curtly reiterated.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhere everybody go?\u00a0\u00a0 Supper ready ten minutes, nobody here!\u00a0\u00a0 Where Little Joe and Miss Stacy?\u00a0\u00a0 Where Mister Adam and Mrs. Teresa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam and Teresa are present and accounted for, Hop Sing,\u201d Adam said, as he followed his wife in through the front door.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJoe and Stacy are at the pump outside washing up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hop Sing rolled his eyes and shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf Little Joe and Miss Stacy all muddy again from mud fight, Hop Sing quit.\u00a0\u00a0 Go back to China.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 With that, he abruptly turned heel and marched resolutely toward the kitchen, muttering a string of invectives under his breath.<\/p>\n

Hoss, Adam, and Teresa stared after the retreating Hop Sing, speechless, their faces nearly identical masks of utter bewilderment.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the matter with Hop Sing?\u00a0\u00a0 Did he get up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben sighed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m afraid it\u2019s Peggy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeggy?!\u201d\u00a0 Adam echoed incredulously.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Peggy.\u00a0\u00a0 Adam, you know how Hop Sing is.\u00a0\u00a0 Doc Martin tells anyone of US to eat, well . . . he\u2019s bound and determined we\u2019re going to eat, come hell or high water.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo . . . what\u2019s this got to do with Peggy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cToday, Peggy was just as bound and determined that she WASN\u2019T going to eat because she wasn\u2019t hungry,\u201d Ben replied acerbically, unable to completely mask his own frustration.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTo say that this hasn\u2019t been an easy or pleasant day would be a gross understatement.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m very sorry about that, Pa,\u201d Adam murmured contritely.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAt the same time, I hope you realize that poor girl in there . . . . \u201d he inclined his head toward the closed door to the downstairs guest room, \u201c . . .\u00a0 is sick, angry, and probably more frightened than she\u2019s ever been in her whole life.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, Adam, I know . . . and I\u2019m trying very hard to be patient, but— \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSupper four minutes!\u201d Hop Sing announced tersely and he ambled back into the great room, where most of the family had gathered near Ben\u2019s desk.\u00a0\u00a0 He carried a tray in both hands, with a bowl of chicken soup, a piece of toast with jelly, and a large steaming mug of hot chamomile tea.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThis tray for Missee Peggy!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He thrust the tray into Adam\u2019s outstretched hands, then ambled back toward the kitchen.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey!\u00a0\u00a0 What\u2019s going on?\u201d Joe called out an affable greeting to the family members gathered around his father\u2019s desk, as he paused before the credenza just long enough to remove his gun belt.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were talking about Peggy,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n

Joe sighed and sarcastically rolled his eyes, remembering the set to between Peggy and Hop Sing at breakfast, and later at the noon meal.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPa, don\u2019t tell me those two are STILL at it!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid they are, Joe,\u201d Ben sighed disparagingly.<\/p>\n

\u201cLook!\u00a0\u00a0 Why don\u2019t the rest of you go on into the dining room and sit down?\u201d Teresa suggested as she put out her hands to take Peggy\u2019s supper tray from Adam.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll take this to Peggy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou sure, Teresa?\u201d Adam asked.<\/p>\n

Teresa smiled and nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI intend to have a talk with her, too, Adam.\u00a0\u00a0 Woman to woman.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow hold on just a minute!\u201d Joe protested.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTeresa, you can\u2019t go in there and brow beat her for heaven\u2019s sake.\u00a0\u00a0 This kinda thing requires delicate handling.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh?\u201d Adam queried with left eyebrow slightly raised.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s right,\u201d Joe affirmed with an emphatic nod of his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAdam . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBetween you \u2018n me?\u201d Joe continued sotto voce.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTeresa with her, ummm way of charging in like a herd of stampeding cattle works well enough in handling the kids, I s\u2019pose . . . but a situation like Peggy requires at lot of charm and finesse from someone who KNOWS how to handle women.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019m almost afraid to ask this, Little Brother, but . . . you, uhhh . . . don\u2019t have somebody specific in mind to . . . . \u201d Adam queried, half fearing he already had a very good idea who his youngest brother had in mind.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho else but ours truly?\u201d Joe said with a bold, cocky smile that confirmed the very worst of Adam\u2019s fears.\u00a0\u00a0 He took the tray from Teresa.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019LL take this in to Peggy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis I\u2019VE got to see,\u201d Adam muttered sardonically under his breath.<\/p>\n

Joe with tray in hand walked resolutely toward the door of the downstairs guestroom, his face set with grim determination.\u00a0\u00a0 He paused at the door, and knocked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho is it?\u201d Peggy demanded sullenly from within.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe Cartwright, Ma\u2019am, with your dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGo \u2018way.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019m not hungry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeggy, Doc Martin gave strict orders for you to eat,\u201d Joe countered in a honey-sweet tone of voice that prompted a soft groan and sarcastic roll of the eyes from his oldest brother.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c \u2018Good food and lots of it,\u2019 those were the doc\u2019s exact words.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI SAID I\u2019m not hungry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe frowned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPeggy, this has gone far enough.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He opened the door and marched right in, bold as brass.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou are going to eat every bit of what\u2019s on this tray . . . or ELSE!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . or else WHAT?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo much for charm, finesse, and delicate handling,\u201d Adam murmured softly, his voice filled with fatalistic aplomb.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow you listen to me and you listen good.\u00a0\u00a0 You are going to eat everything on this tray . . . and I MEAN everything or . . . or . . . or so help me, I\u2019ll feed it to ya . . . like a baby!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTry it!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, if that\u2019s the way you want it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The sound of footfalls, heavy with anger and growing more so with each step fell on the ears of everyone still gathered around Ben\u2019s desk, followed by the clattering sound of a tray slamming down hard onto a wood night table.<\/p>\n

\u201cNice going, Baby Brother,\u201d Adam sighed with a touch of sarcasm.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHalf the soup in the bowl\u2019s just gone all over the tray.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I really think this was a big mistake,\u201d Teresa murmured ruefully.<\/p>\n

\u201cOk, Peggy, you have two choices.\u00a0\u00a0 We can do this the real nice \u2018n easy way, or we can do this the hard way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGET OUT!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOooohh . . . kaa-aaay, you wanna do it the hard way?\u00a0\u00a0 Fine!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI SAID GET OUT!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOpen wide, Peggy . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

A guttural squeal of protest came in response through lips obviously fast closed.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re making this a lot harder than it has to be . . . . OW!\u00a0\u00a0 YOU . . . YOU BIT ME!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019LL DO WORSE THAN THAT IF YOU DON\u2019T GET OUT OF HERE AND LEAVE ME ALONE!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT . . . I\u2019M GOING.\u201d<\/p>\n

At that moment, Stacy walked in through the front door.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf I\u2019d known you guys were calling a meeting, I\u2019d have gotten back in here sooner,\u201d she quipped, as she started across the room toward where the rest of her family remained gathered.<\/p>\n

\u201cPEGGY, NO!\u00a0\u00a0 DON\u2019T YOU DARE!\u201d<\/p>\n

The sound of Joe\u2019s voice, raised in anger and healthy fear, halted Stacy mid-stride.\u00a0\u00a0 She turned her attention to the guest room door, just in time to see the youngest of her three older brothers bolting out at a dead run.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGrandpa?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe, now positioned between the door and his sister, caught movement out of the corner of his eye, and instinctively ducked.\u00a0\u00a0 The supper tray he had taken in to Peggy flew over his head a split second later, smacking Stacy upside the head before she could even think of reacting, spilling soup and tea all over her and the surrounding floor.\u00a0\u00a0 The force of the blow threw off her sense of balance, knocking her flat on her rump.<\/p>\n

Ben and Hoss quickly moved to her side.<\/p>\n

\u201cStacy?\u00a0\u00a0 Are you alright?\u201d Ben queried anxiously, as he and Hoss knelt down on either side of her.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly thing severely injured is my dignity, Pa,\u201d she responded stiffly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou have a handkerchief?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got a clean bandanna, Li\u2019l Sister.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss dug the bright red bandanna from his pocket and held it out to his sister.<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Big Brother.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy accepted the proffered bandanna and used it to mop up the chicken broth and tea from her face.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNow somebody\u2019d better get me a wash cloth and a bar of soap.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter supper, we\u2019ll get you into a nice hot bath if you\u2019d like,\u201d Ben offered, as he and Hoss helped Stacy to her feet.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, I need the soap right now for my mouth,\u201d she said grimly, glaring daggers into the depths of the guestroom.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u00a0\u00a0 You haven\u2019t said anything,\u201d Ben protested.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, but I\u2019m ABOUT to!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She turned and started toward the guest room.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow you just hold on a minute, Li\u2019l Sister.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss put out a hand to stop her.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, let go of me!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot \u2018til you count t\u2019 ten \u2018n calm down.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll do that AFTER Peggy and I have a nice little chat about good manners!\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss grabbed his young sister by the waist and slung her over his shoulder like an inert sack of potatoes with almost ridiculous ease.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLooks like YOU need t\u2019 cool off!\u201d he declared, before turning heel and heading on a straight path to the door.<\/p>\n

A long string of clipped, terse syllables poured from between her lips, as she struggled to free herself from her big brother\u2019s firm grasp.<\/p>\n

\u201cPaiute, Pa?\u201d Adam asked as he and Ben stepped to the threshold of the front door together.<\/p>\n

\u201cYep,\u201d Ben nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 He turned toward his youngest son, who stood back away from the door, his eyes and face a mixture of contrition and regret.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJoseph?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cY-yeah, Pa?\u201d he queried, mentally bracing himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think you\u2019d better g\u2019won upstairs and fetch down that washcloth and soap your sister asked for.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam turned and looked over at his father in surprise.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou KNOW what she\u2019s saying?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, and to be perfectly honest, I don\u2019t think I really want to know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen, h-how—!?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSon, I may not be able to give you an exact translation of what your sister\u2019s saying, but from the WAY she\u2019s saying it . . . those words\u2019ve got to be some real humdingers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cERIC HOSS CARTWRIGHT, YOU PUT ME DOWN, RIGHT NOW THIS VERY INSTANT!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnything you say, Li\u2019l Sister.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss dropped Stacy into the horse trough out front.\u00a0\u00a0 She came up less than a second later, coughing and sputtering.<\/p>\n

Ben rolled his eyes, then shook his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, look at the bright side,\u201d Adam quipped, marveling, not for the first time, at how some things never changed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWHAT bright side?\u201d Ben growled.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat dip in the horse trough just saved Hop Sing from having to do extra laundry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben glared at Adam, then set off across the yard to intervene between his second son and only daughter.<\/p>\n

Teresa moved into the place vacated by her father-in-law.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou think maybe it\u2019s time Peggy and I had that conversation we should\u2019ve had in the first place?\u201d she queried sardonically, with eyebrow slightly upraised.<\/p>\n

\u201cWoman to woman?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWoman to woman.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Teresa gave Adam\u2019s hand an affectionate squeeze, then moved off.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d \u00a0\u00a0It was Joe.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI . . . I\u2019m sorry . . . I guess I kinda made a mess of things . . . didn\u2019t I.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 It was a statement of fact, rather than a question.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s MY fault, too,\u201d Adam admitted ruefully.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf I hadn\u2019t forgotten one of the very first lessons I learned after Teresa and I said, \u2018I do,\u2019 well . . . suffice it to say our big brother wouldn\u2019t be at the horse trough right now doing Little Sister\u2019s laundry . . . with her still wearing it . . . because I would NEVER have allowed you to take that tray in there in the first place.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yeah?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow let me get something straight here, Oldest Brother of Mine,\u201d Joe continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou wouldn\u2019t let ME go in there, if you\u2019d had your wherewithal about ya . . . but you\u2019re letting your wife walk into the den of that she-tiger?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYep,\u201d Adam replied.\u00a0\u00a0 He placed a paternal arm around his youngest brother\u2019s shoulders and lead him toward the dining room, making sure he took a path that lead well away from the guest room.\u00a0 \u201cLittle Brother, I\u2019m gonna let you in on a secret most men don\u2019t find out until after they\u2019ve made that long walk down the aisle,\u201d he said, taking great care to lower his voice.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe only person in this whole wide world who REALLY knows how to handle a woman is . . . another woman.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Teresa, meanwhile, walked over to the guestroom door, still open, and peered inside.\u00a0\u00a0 She saw Peggy lying in bed, her back pointedly toward the door.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPeggy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGo \u2018way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Teresa stepped inside and softly closed the door.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPeggy, you and I need to talk,\u201d she said in a quiet, gentle tone that held in it all the firmness of steel.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019tcha just go \u2018way \u2018n leave me alone?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause I . . . all of us . . . care about you very much, Peggy, and we want very much to help you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy rolled over and glared up at Teresa, blue eyes meeting and holding eyes dark brown, almost black.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHas . . . has Adam told you who I am?\u201d she asked derisively.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Teresa replied as she crossed the room from the door to the side of the bed Peggy occupied.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe more to the point, has Adam told you about my mother?\u201d<\/p>\n

Teresa drew up the only chair in the room along side the bed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf memory serves, your mother is Laura Dayton,\u201d she said in a bland tone, as she sat down.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe and Adam once loved each other very much.\u00a0\u00a0 They were engaged briefly, ending it when she found that she was in love with Adam\u2019s cousin, Will.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She paused.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDoes that about cover it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy\u2019s shoulders sagged, as the angry wind left her sails.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cY-yes, I guess it does.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor your information, Adam told me about your mother and about the other significant ladies in his life during our courtship,\u201d Teresa added.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI was equally forthcoming about the men I had loved in my own life, before Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy lapsed for a moment into an uneasy, guilty silence.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSorry,\u201d she murmured at length.<\/p>\n

\u201cApology accepted,\u201d Teresa said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMy reason for coming in here is to remind you that Adam, Ben, Hoss, Joe, and Hop Sing remember you and your mother very fondly.\u00a0\u00a0 Though Stacy and I don\u2019t know you very well, at least not yet, knowing that the others care for you a great deal and want to help you . . . well, that\u2019s good enough for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy averted her gaze from Teresa\u2019s warm brown eyes to the window on the other side of the room, her eyes blinking excessively.\u00a0 \u00a0\u201cI\u2019m . . . sorry I threw my supper tray at Joe just now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Teresa smiled and placed a comforting, reassuring hand on Peggy\u2019s shoulder.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cFrom what I heard out there, I\u2019d say Joe probably deserved it.\u00a0\u00a0 The ones you really owe apologies to are Hop Sing, Ben, and Stacy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStacy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid she got caught in the cross fire when you threw your supper at Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She turned and gazed earnestly into Teresa\u2019s face, her eyes bright with unshed tears.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI . . . I hope Stacy\u2019s alright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStacy\u2019s fine.\u00a0 \u00a0Hoss took her outside to clean her up a little . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy winced, remembering the string of what had sounded in her ears as brusque, clipped, unintelligible syllables shouted at top volume.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHoss didn\u2019t take Stacy outside just now to clean her up.\u00a0\u00a0 He really took her outside to keep her from cleaning my clock, didn\u2019t he?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy sighed and shook her head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMaybe I should go back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBack where?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo my husband.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a decision only you can make,\u201d Teresa said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAt the moment, however, you\u2019re in no shape to travel.\u00a0\u00a0 The doctor was absolutely right when he said that you need to take the next few days to rest and eat.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy responded with a soft, morose sigh.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce you\u2019re back on your feet, feeling stronger, then you can start making your own decisions as to what you\u2019re going to do,\u201d Teresa said, gentle yet firm.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut, Peggy?\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy looked up at Teresa expectantly.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou DO need to eat, not only for yourself but for the unborn child you carry.\u00a0\u00a0 I know it\u2019s not easy sometimes.\u00a0\u00a0 I have two children of my own, and my morning sickness lasted throughout the entire nine months of my second pregnancy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRight now, the thought of food just turns my stomach, Teresa,\u201d Peggy groaned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMaybe a bit of weak tea later?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright,\u201d Teresa nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIn the meantime, you rest.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ll bring you some tea in a little while.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cTODAY, Mister Adam, make sure Missee Peggy EAT breakfast,\u201d Hop Sing admonished the eldest of the Cartwright offspring severely, the following morning. He placed a tray with two pieces of toast, no butter but with a generous spoonful of jelly on the side, and a mug of chamomile tea into Adam\u2019s outstretched hands.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMiss Peggy eat!\u00a0\u00a0 She eat for TWO now!\u00a0\u00a0 All day yesterday, she not eat!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing, I promise you, Peggy WILL eat today, starting with what\u2019s on THIS tray, if I have to force feed her myself,\u201d Adam responded with a confidence he was very far from feeling.\u00a0\u00a0 He, then, walked over toward the downstairs guestroom in his father\u2019s home, with tray firmly in hand, pausing to knock softly on the fast closed door.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam opened the door and stepped inside.\u00a0\u00a0 He found Peggy sitting up in bed, wearing the nightgown borrowed from his wife, Teresa the day before.\u00a0\u00a0 Though her hair yet remained a tangle, all trace of the lingering cosmetics had long since been washed from her face.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGood morning, Madame, breakfast is served,\u201d he said suavely, placing the tray on her lap.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHop Sing left very strict orders for you to eat everything, and I do mean everything.\u00a0\u00a0 Or else.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOr else WHAT?\u00a0\u00a0 Another royal row like we had yesterday?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Peggy, yesterday in the course of that royal row, Hop Sing was merely taking your measure.\u00a0\u00a0 Now that he\u2019s got your number, you can bet on the consequences being worse.\u00a0\u00a0 MUCH worse.\u201d<\/p>\n

A bare hint of a smile tugged at the left corner of her mouth.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHow much worse?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t want to know, Peggy, trust me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan you . . . can you stay with me awhile?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAbsolutely.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Adam took hold of the nearest chair and drew it up beside the bed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI can stay as long as you want.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to apologize, Adam,\u201d she said contritely, \u201cfor being such a rude, ill-mannered guest yesterday.\u00a0\u00a0 I . . . I just don\u2019t know WHAT got into me.\u00a0\u00a0 I mean, here you all are, trying to help me and what did I do?\u00a0\u00a0 I started the day picking a fight with Hop Sing, and later sent poor Joe fleeing from my room with my supper flying behind him, and . . . and ended up clobbering Stacy . . . not to mention poor Uncle Ben, bless his heart!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were hurt, cold, sick, and angry yesterday,\u201d Adam said quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . and a lot scared,\u201d Peggy added in a small voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the others understand that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, Stacy, and Hop Sing were pretty mad,\u201d she said contritely, \u201cand . . . I don\u2019t think Uncle Ben was very happy with me, either.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can apologize to them later.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope they\u2019ll let me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou should know PA better than that,\u201d Adam chided her gently.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAs for Hop Sing and my youngest siblings, I know all the three of them burn bright and very hot when they get angry, but their anger passes quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope so.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow if you want a sure fire way of worming yourself back into HOP SING\u2019S good graces, you\u2019ll eat everything that\u2019s put in front of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll try, Adam.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Peggy picked up a piece of toast and spread a generous spoonful of jelly over its surface.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow are you feeling today?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel a little better, actually.\u00a0\u00a0 My stomach\u2019s a bit rough, but I\u2019m not feeling cold anymore or as sick as I was yesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow about the others?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe hurt, angry, and a lot scared?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I . . . I need help,\u201d she said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDesperately!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll do anything I can to help you, Peggy,\u201d Adam earnestly promised.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI want you to know that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Adam.\u00a0\u00a0 I . . . I think DID I know that, deep down.\u00a0\u00a0 That\u2019s why I ended up here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow can I help you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI left my husband three days ago,\u201d Peggy said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe tried to kill me . . . AND kill my baby.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She took a bite from the piece of toast in hand, chewed, and swallowed.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 She placed the toast back down on the plate, then looked up into Adam\u2019s face earnestly, her sapphire blue eyes locking and holding onto his brown ones.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve already suffered TWO miscarriages because of . . . because of his . . . beatings.\u00a0\u00a0 That\u2019s two babies I\u2019ve lost.\u00a0\u00a0 I . . . I can\u2019t bear the thought of losing a third— \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Any further words were drowned in a sudden, fierce torrent of weeping.<\/p>\n

Adam deftly removed the tray from Peggy\u2019s lap, then gathered her in his arms in much the same way he did when she was a little girl, hurting and in need of comfort.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s right, Peggy,\u201d he murmured softly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s right, let it all out!\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019m right here . . . and I\u2019ll BE right here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy buried her head against his shoulder, and wept, clinging for dear life.\u00a0\u00a0 Adam Cartwright had, in so many ways, become the father she had lost so young, and so long ago.\u00a0\u00a0 He had worked hard to cultivate her friendship in the first terrible weeks following the death of her own father, Frank Dayton, even though she had made her initial dislike for him perfectly clear.\u00a0\u00a0 He was always so nice, with a warm smile, a pleasant word, the occasional present.\u00a0\u00a0 Once, he had given her a pony, whom she named Traveler, and taught her how to ride.\u00a0\u00a0 She remembered the games they played together, the picnics, the times he was there to comfort her when she was hurt or sad, and see her through life\u2019s hard lessons like the wolf pup named Prince.<\/p>\n

Peggy also realized, much to her shock and astonishment, how dreadfully much she had missed Adam over the years that had passed, since she and her mother left Nevada to follow his cousin, Will Cartwright, to San Francisco.\u00a0\u00a0 Will was a wonderful man, and Peggy had loved him very much, but somehow he was never quite the father Adam had been.<\/p>\n

At length, her tears finally subsided, and with them some of the anger and hurt that had built up over the years, especially since her marriage to Brett van Slyke.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThank you, Adam,\u201d she murmured in a small, quiet voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cI meant it when I said that I\u2019m here for you,\u201d Adam said.\u00a0\u00a0 He dug into a pocket and pulled out a clean, if slightly wrinkled handkerchief.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t want you to forget that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI won\u2019t.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She wiped her eyes with Adam\u2019s handkerchief, then started to nibble gingerly on the toast.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSo . . . what do I do now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor the next few days, you follow Doctor Martin\u2019s orders,\u201d Adam said firmly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou rest, AND you eat.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa\u2019s gone into town today to run a few errands, and take care of business,\u201d Adam continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe told me that he was going to stop in and see Lucas Milburn, that\u2019s HIS lawyer, and make some inquiries.\u00a0\u00a0 The rest will probably depend on what Mister Milburn has to say.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy, much to Adam\u2019s relief, began to wolf down the remaining piece of toast in her hand.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOh, Adam, there\u2019s so much I have to figure out . . . where am I going to live?\u00a0\u00a0 How am I going to support myself AND my baby?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI won\u2019t lie to you, Peggy,\u201d Adam said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou WILL have a lot of things to work out, a lot of decisions to make.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s NOT going to be easy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cY-you think I . . . I have what it\u2019s gonna take for me and my baby to be on our own?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Peggy, I don\u2019t THINK you have what it takes, I KNOW you have what it takes, and THEN some,\u201d Adam said firmly.<\/p>\n

Peggy finished the last of her toast, then looked up at Adam earnestly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThanks, Adam, I . . . I needed to hear that.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She sighed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSometimes, I feel so strong and powerful inside, I feel like I could go right out and single handedly push the entire Sierra Nevada Range into the Pacific Ocean.\u00a0\u00a0 But, at other times . . . times like y-yesterday?\u00a0\u00a0 I feel so overwhelmed by it all . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, Peggy, believe me . . . I know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou, Adam?\u00a0\u00a0 Somehow, I can\u2019t quite imagine YOU feeling overwhelmed by anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was the time Joe and I went out hunting for a lone wolf that had been preying on our livestock,\u201d Adam said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe trapped the wolf inside Montpelier Gorge.\u00a0\u00a0 Joe shot and wounded him.\u00a0\u00a0 Then I raised MY rifle . . .\u00a0 and . . . and f-fired— \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 A wave of dizziness swept over him, as the blood ebbed from his face leaving his normally robust complexion ashen.\u00a0\u00a0 He slowly, one by one drew his fingers together into a pair of tightly balled fists in an attempt to quell his hands\u2019 trembling.<\/p>\n

\u201cA-Adam?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Peggy peered over at him anxiously.<\/p>\n

Adam squeezed his eyes shut and forced himself to take deep, even breaths.\u00a0\u00a0 The intensity of feeling, memories of that incident had aroused, shocked and stunned him.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, y-you don\u2019t have to tell me if— \u201d<\/p>\n

He took one more deep breath, then slowly opened his eyes.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m alright, Peggy.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He managed a wan smile for her benefit.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf it\u2019s going to upset you, you don\u2019t have to tell me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think telling you might do us both some good,\u201d Adam said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 He fell silent for a moment to try and recollect his thoughts.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI fired at that wolf, after Joe\u2019d wounded him, and . . . I missed.\u00a0\u00a0 I . . . I ended up hitting Joe.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep, ragged breath.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI had no idea he was even there.\u00a0\u00a0 I SHOULD\u2019VE known, but for some reason, the thought never occurred to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy quietly placed her had overtop Adam\u2019s and gave it a gentle squeeze.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe minute Joe fell, that wolf was on him.\u00a0\u00a0 I beat the wolf off, using the butt end of my rifle as a club, then shot him, but not before he mauled Joe very badly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam told her about the arduous ride toward home, clasping his gravely wounded brother close, fearing Joe would die of blood loss before they had gone half way.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen . . . thank God . . . I met the Reardons.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho were the Reardons?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEmmett Reardon was a retired coal miner from Pennsylvania,\u201d Adam replied, as he wiped his sweaty palms on his pants along the length of his thighs.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe and his daughter, Sheila came out west from Philadelphia hoping a change of climate would help his.\u00a0\u00a0 Mister Reardon\u2019s lungs suffered a lot of damage breathing in coal dust over the many years he labored as a miner.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor me, that day, they were an absolute godsend!\u00a0\u00a0 Here they were, complete strangers, yet they willingly offered to take Joe and me home in their buggy.\u00a0\u00a0 It was getting late by the time we reached the house, so I invited them to say over until morning.\u00a0\u00a0 They accepted, and you know what, Peggy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI never had to ask their help,\u201d Adam said. \u00a0\u00a0\u201cThey offered it.\u00a0\u00a0 Sheila fixed us all dinner that night, and made sure there was plenty of coffee and sandwiches on hand.\u00a0\u00a0 I spent a lot of time in Joe\u2019s room, looking after him, keeping watch . . . falling asleep on my feet, literally.\u00a0\u00a0 Sheila Reardon marched right in and bodily threw me out, with strict orders to go to bed.\u00a0\u00a0 She and her father both took turns keeping watch on Joe through the night, and they patiently listened to all my ranting and raving.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He sighed and shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPeggy, everything that could have possibly gone wrong that day and night . . . DID.\u201d<\/p>\n

He told her about sending Hoss to Virginia City to fetch the doctor, and to wire their father in Sacramento.\u00a0\u00a0 The doctor, however, was at the Fleming home.\u00a0\u00a0 Mrs. Fleming was about to give birth . . . a breech birth.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBy the time the Doctor Hickman arrived HERE, infection had set in . . . with a vengeance.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEven though you had already removed the bullet?!\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThere was also the possibility that Joe had contracted rabies when the wolf had mauled him.\u00a0\u00a0 Doctor Hickman prescribed some medicines, even went so far as to tell me Joe would die without them,\u201d he continued wearily.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThen he had to leave right away because . . . well, if he wasn\u2019t there when the baby came, mother and child would have almost certainly died.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey . . . they didn\u2019t . . . did they?\u201d Peggy queried, afraid to ask the question, yet more fearful of not asking.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Adam hastened to reassure.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cToday, Mrs. Fleming is the proud mother of six boys and one girl . . . and proud grandmother of twelve grandchildren with three more on the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy exhaled an audible sigh of relief.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry,\u201d Adam apologized.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s ok, Adam,\u201d Peggy said quickly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDid Hoss get the medicine that Doctor Hickman prescribed for Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot in Virginia City,\u201d Adam replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThey were completely out.\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss ended up going all the way to Genoa, to a pharmacy warehouse there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGenoa?!\u00a0\u00a0 Oh, Adam . . . that\u2019s gotta be at least fifteen miles away!\u201d Peggy gasped.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI would have been going out of my mind!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cActually, the warehouse in Genoa\u2019s closer to being TWENTY miles away, and . . . I WAS going out of my mind,\u201d Adam said soberly, \u201cand . . . things were about to get even worse.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He told her about the man, whose last name was Dowd.\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss had met him and his two companions in the pharmacy.<\/p>\n

\u201cDowd and his partner claimed that the gunfire from our rifles . . . mine and Joe\u2019s . . . had spooked a herd of horses they had captured out on the range,\u201d Adam continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe frightened horses SUPPOSEDLY escaped, trampling the corral fences under hoof.\u00a0\u00a0 That evening, Dowd showed up here, at the house, with two other men.\u00a0\u00a0 He told me that Hoss had to go to Genoa, then demanded three thousand dollars for loss of stock and damages.\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss told me later that when he had met them in the pharmacy, they had told HIM the cost of damages totaled ONE thousand dollars.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe only reason I can come up with for the discrepancy is they decided they were entitled to more because of the . . . well, the obvious wealth and success of the Ponderosa,\u201d Adam said with a dark scowl.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not fair!\u201d Peggy said quietly, with conviction.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cUncle Ben and the rest of you have worked very hard for what you have.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re absolutely right!\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s NOT fair!\u201d Adam said bitterly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut, fair or not, there\u2019s a lot of people out there . . . who aren\u2019t the least bit willing to shift for themselves, yet feel quite strongly, that men, like my father, owe them something.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did you do?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI told Dowd I was willing to pay them reasonable compensation for the damage done to their fences and the stock they lost,\u201d Adam replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut, I didn\u2019t think three thousand dollars was reasonable.\u00a0\u00a0 I finally told him payment would have to wait until I could ride up to their place and inspect the damage to their property.\u00a0\u00a0 Dowd insisted that I pay him three thousand dollars right then and there.\u00a0\u00a0 I finally told him and the two the men with him to get off the Ponderosa, or I\u2019d press charges for trespass.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened then?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDowd and his buddies bushwhacked Hoss on his way back,\u201d Adam replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThey stole Joe\u2019s medicine and tried to hold it for ransom.\u00a0\u00a0 To say I was feeling overwhelmed that night would be the understatement of the century!\u00a0\u00a0 I even went so far as to promise myself that once everything was over, and Joe was out of danger, I would pack my bags and make tracks back east where things are supposedly more civilized.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut . . . you didn\u2019t,\u201d Peggy observed quietly. [ii]<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Adam said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI didn\u2019t leave, because I learned two very important lessons that night.\u00a0\u00a0 The first was the importance of having other people . . . family, friends, caring strangers like the Reardons . . . around to lend a hand during times of trouble.\u00a0\u00a0 No one\u2019s an island, Peggy.\u00a0\u00a0 Sooner or later, we all need each other, and I think that\u2019s the way it\u2019s meant to be.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat was the other lesson you learned that night, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe other lesson I learned that night was the most important lesson I\u2019ve ever had to learn in my whole life,\u201d Adam said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI learned that no matter what happens, no matter how bad things get, I CAN muster the strength, the courage, whatever I need, to help me through.\u00a0\u00a0 All of us have that inside us, Peggy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about my mother?\u201d Peggy asked with a touch of rancor.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe was so fragile . . . so helpless and frightened, she couldn\u2019t even bring herself to tell me that my father had died, at first.\u00a0\u00a0 She told me he was off on a long trip somewhere, and that someday, he would come back . . . but, I knew, Adam.\u00a0\u00a0 I think I knew from the start that he was dead, and she was deliberately lying to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeggy, you\u2019re NOT like your mother,\u201d Adam said firmly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou had a lot of spunk and plenty of guts when you were little.\u00a0\u00a0 Remember the first time you fell off of Traveler?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo I ever!\u201d<\/p>\n

She saw her mother wringing her hands and weeping piteously, begging Adam to please, pretty please take back that pony.\u00a0\u00a0 He was too dangerous, her pretty little Peggy could get hurt.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Adam, meanwhile, struggled desperately to keep hold of her long enough to check her over for broken bones or other serious injuries.\u00a0\u00a0 She angrily shook him off with such force . . . she could see the shocked look on his face clearly, even now.<\/em><\/p>\n

Before either Adam or her mother could think of making a move to stop her, she walked over toward Traveler, now placidly grazing, with her back straight and chin set with grim, stubborn determination.\u00a0\u00a0 In less than a heartbeat, she was back in the saddle, urging Traveler to a fast gallop.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cTraveler and I made it all the way out to the road before you caught up with us,\u201d she remembered with a smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou had me scared to death, Young Lady.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, you\u2019re not!\u00a0\u00a0 You\u2019re just as pleased with yourself now as you were then . . . and you SHOULD be.\u00a0\u00a0 Getting back up on Traveler took a lot of guts and a lot of courage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah . . . I think I can see that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou still have that kind of courage,\u201d Adam insisted.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s what I\u2019m trying to tell you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I don\u2019t know, Adam,\u201d Peggy shook her head morosely.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not a little kid learning to ride a pony any more.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe not, but you ARE a grown woman . . . expecting a little kid of her own . . . who\u2019s recently decided to leave an abusive husband and found within herself the wherewithal to ACT on that decision.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat wasn\u2019t courage, that was fear.\u00a0\u00a0 I left because I was afraid he\u2019d kill me and my unborn child.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s one way to look at it,\u201d Adam said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAnother way to look at it is fear for your life and the life of your unborn child gave you the courage to leave a bad situation you know, and step out into something completely unknown.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I never thought of it THAT way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of people choose to stay in dangerous situations, like the one you just left, because it\u2019s something familiar . . . something they KNOW.\u00a0\u00a0 Thank God, you found the wherewithal to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy set the tray of empty dishes aside, then leaned over and gave Adam a big hug.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThank you, Adam,\u201d she said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThank you for everything, especially for . . . well, for being there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m thankful I CAN be there for you, Peggy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think Hop Sing would get upset if I asked for seconds?\u201d Peggy asked, as they separated.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m STILL frightfully hungry and the toast seems to be staying down alright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeggy . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Adam rose, then leaned over and picked up the tray, \u201cHop Sing\u2019s not going to be the least bit upset about you wanting seconds.\u00a0\u00a0 In fact . . . .\u201d he grinned, \u201c . . . I think he\u2019s going to be the happiest man in the entire State of Nevada.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cON YOUR MARK . . . . \u201d Candy yelled at the top of his lungs.<\/p>\n

Ben Cartwright, returning home from Virginia City, eased his own mount, Buck to a stop.\u00a0\u00a0 Up ahead, one maybe two tenths of a mile, he spotted Candy on his favorite steed, Thor, a large, well muscled brown, standing in the meadow, just off the side of the road.<\/p>\n

\u201cGET SET . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Joe Cartwright, seated atop Bonnie Prince Charlie, and Stacy Cartwright, on Sun Dancer stood side by side on the road itself, a little behind Candy\u2019s position.\u00a0\u00a0 In the far distance, nearly half a mile from his own position, Ben spotted Hoss.<\/p>\n

Candy raised his gun and squeezed the trigger.<\/p>\n

Joe and Stacy eagerly urged their horses to a fast gallop, before the last echoes of Candy\u2019s gunfire were swallowed up by the thunder of hooves, pounding against the hard packed dirt road.\u00a0\u00a0 Joe and Bonnie Prince Charlie immediately pulled ahead.\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy and Sun Dancer kept to the pace, but made no attempt to pass.<\/p>\n

With both eyes glued to the rapidly retreating backs of his two younger children, Ben quietly urged Big Buck on.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Mister Cartwright!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Candy greeted him with a broad smile and wave as he approached.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought you and Hoss told me Sun Dancer had Bonnie Prince Charlie eating his dust,\u201d Ben said, as he drew Big Buck along side Candy and Thor.<\/p>\n

\u201cKeep watching, Sir.\u00a0\u00a0 This race just got started.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben silently watched as Joe and Stacy covered a third, then half the distance between the starting point and the place up ahead, where Hoss stood marking the finish line.\u00a0\u00a0 Joe and Bonnie Prince Charlie edged ahead slightly.\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy and Sun Dancer maintained their pace.<\/p>\n

A few moments later, Joe and the Bonnie Prince reached and passed the three quarter mark.\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy and Sun Dancer suddenly started gaining in speed, closing in on their competition with each step.\u00a0\u00a0 At roughly fifteen yards from the finish line, Stacy and Sun Dancer drew along side Joe and Bonnie Prince Charlie.\u00a0\u00a0 Less than a heartbeat later, the former began to move past the latter, beating a straight path toward the finish line.\u00a0\u00a0 At Joe\u2019s urging the Bonnie Prince increased his speed.\u00a0\u00a0 But it was all to no avail.\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy and Sun Dancer crossed the finish line a good three and a half lengths ahead of their opponents.<\/p>\n

Up ahead, Hoss glanced down at the pocket watch in his hand, then let out a wild, joyous whoop.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, Mister Cartwright.\u00a0\u00a0 From the sound of things I\u2019d say Sun Dancer just beat his own record . . . again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben and Candy rode together to the place where Hoss stood waiting.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Pa, didja see?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI sure did,\u201d Ben replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cFor a minute there I thought sure you and Candy had, well, let\u2019s just say I was beginning to think Sun Dancer\u2019s speed and power were somewhat exaggerated?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPart of our strategy, Pa,\u201d Hoss explained.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cStacy \u2018n Sun Dancer\u2019ll keep pace with Mister Wilson\u2019s General Ulysses, then . . . as they\u2019re running down the home stretch, the two of \u2018em pull ahead \u2018n win the race.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow well did Sun Dancer do, Hoss?\u201d Candy asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe done shaved five seconds off his record,\u201d Hoss replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s your brother and sister?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re headin\u2019 on back to the barn,\u201d Hoss replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThey\u2019ll cool down their horses as they go.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He quickly climbed onto the back of his own horse, Chubb.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSo how\u2019d things go in Virginia City, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

The smile on Ben\u2019s face faded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI spoke to Mister Milburn briefly, Hoss.\u00a0\u00a0 He\u2019s going to do some checking and come out tomorrow afternoon sometime, but . . . I\u2019m afraid the news isn\u2019t good.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow so, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll talk later at home, Son.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, Pa.\u00a0\u00a0 How \u2018bout the telegram?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSheriff Coffee\u2019s going to wire the police department in San Francisco and the sheriff over in Placerville about the van Slyke family,\u201d Ben said grimly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cRoy suggested doing it that way to give matters the appearance of being official, as opposed to private . . . and, for the time being at least, I agree with him completely.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss silently studied his father\u2019s face, noting the pallid complexion, how the lines and creases seemed more deeply etched than usual, and the eyes, round and staring.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPa, this is real serious business we\u2019re lookin\u2019 at, ain\u2019t it.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It was a quiet, straightforward statement of fact, not a question.<\/p>\n

Ben quietly shared with Hoss some of the things Doctor Martin had shared with him yesterday morning.<\/p>\n

Hoss, his face pale and knees trembling, draped one arm over Chubb\u2019s saddle and held on for support.\u00a0\u00a0 His pale blue eyes were unusually bright.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMy G-God, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s why Roy suggested that I let HIM handle the correspondence,\u201d Ben said gravely, \u201cto keep our involvement and hopefully Peggy\u2019s whereabouts under wraps.\u00a0\u00a0 Any man capable of . . . of physically beating up a pregnant woman is capable of just about anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cTeresa?\u201d<\/p>\n

Teresa turned from the guestroom window and smiled down at the young woman lying on the bed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYes, Peggy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll last night and for a good bit of this morning, I\u2019ve been doing a lot of thinking,\u201d Peggy said in a small, quiet, voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m feeling lots better now.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019m not feeling dizzy anymore . . . and though I felt a little sick this morning, it was nowhere near as bad, as it was . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Teresa turned from the window and pulled up a chair beside the bed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat are you trying to say?\u201d she asked, cutting through to the heart of the matter.<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess I\u2019m trying to say that I\u2019m well enough to . . . well, to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere would you go?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFar away from here . . . from Virginia City . . . from the Ponderosa . . . from you, Adam, Uncle Ben and everyone else.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Peggy averted her eyes away from Teresa\u2019s face and fixed them on her hands folded in front of her on the quilt.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPlease, it\u2019s not that I\u2019m NOT grateful, because I am, more than I can say . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen why are you so anxious to leave?\u201d Teresa prodded gently.<\/p>\n

Peggy swallowed, and forced herself to look up and meet Teresa\u2019s gentle, yet penetrating gaze.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t want any of you to get hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat makes you think anyone\u2019s going to get hurt?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow can you possibly ask me that, Teresa?\u00a0\u00a0 I saw the doctor\u2019s face yesterday, after he had finished examining me,\u201d Peggy said morosely.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe knows, or at the very least has a good idea of what Brett\u2019s capable of doing.\u00a0\u00a0 He had to have told you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe told Ben,\u201d Teresa said quietly, \u201cand Ben, in turn, shared with Adam and me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen you know full well I\u2019m putting all of you in terrible danger by being here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes Brett know you\u2019re here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t tell him, or anyone else for that matter, where I was headed when I left his birthday celebration that night.\u00a0\u00a0 To tell you the honest truth, I wasn\u2019t sure where I was going either, when I started out.\u00a0\u00a0 I just knew I had to get away.\u00a0\u00a0 I didn\u2019t even THINK of the Ponderosa until I was on that steamboat half way across the lake.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHas Brett ever met any of the family?\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy shook her head.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen maybe he won\u2019t even know to look here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBy himself, no!\u00a0\u00a0 He wouldn\u2019t know to look here.\u00a0\u00a0 The problem is my mother and Aunt Lil.\u00a0\u00a0 Sooner or later, they WILL think to look here.\u201d<\/p>\n

The unspoken implications shook Teresa to the very core of her being.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Teresa, yes.\u00a0\u00a0 Sooner or later, they WILL tell Brett to look here,\u201d Peggy correctly interpreted the stunned look on Teresa\u2019s face.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAunt Lil will, anyway.\u00a0\u00a0 As for Mother . . . . \u201d she sighed and shrugged her shoulders, \u201c. . . these days, when Aunt Lil says jump, Mother asks how high.\u201d<\/p>\n

How could Peggy\u2019s mother betray her so cruelly?\u00a0\u00a0 Teresa knew beyond doubt that Peggy spoke the truth, by the set of her face and the sadness in her eyes.\u00a0\u00a0 She also know beyond doubt that if her own daughter, Dio, ever married someone abusive like Brett, she would do her level best to kill him herself the first time he raised his hand against her.\u00a0\u00a0 Assuming, of course, Adam didn\u2019t get there first.<\/p>\n

\u201cTeresa?\u201d Peggy ventured, hesitant to disturb the reverie into which Teresa had lapsed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPlease . . . don\u2019t think too harshly of Mother.\u00a0\u00a0 She can\u2019t help being the way she is.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll do my best,\u201d Teresa promised reluctantly, \u201con the condition that YOU don\u2019t talk anymore about leaving . . . at least until we get matters cleared up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy opened her mouth to protest.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease, Peggy, hear me out,\u201d Teresa gently, yet very effectively cut off any and all protests before Peggy could give them utterance.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTo say that Brett is a man capable of terrible violence is to grossly understate the matter.\u00a0\u00a0 We know that.\u00a0\u00a0 We also know that if . . . or WHEN he finds out you\u2019re here, he\u2019s more than likely going to come after you.\u00a0\u00a0 To understate the situation once again, there will be a lot of trouble, if he does come.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow can you say that so calmly?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Peggy\u2019s voice shook.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause I know you\u2019re safer HERE than you would be anywhere else,\u201d Teresa said firmly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBen Cartwright, his sons . . . all THREE of them . . . Hop Sing, and Stacy in the time she\u2019s been part of the family, have not only faced any trouble that comes their way head on, but they\u2019ve actually taken on a lot that lesser men and women wouldn\u2019t touch because they believe in fairness and justice for EVERYONE, not just the privileged few.\u00a0\u00a0 That takes a lot of love, strength, courage, and outright cussed stubbornness, to quote Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cBen, his sons, daughter, and Hop Sing are all pretty adept at handling rifles, if things should come to that.\u00a0\u00a0 There\u2019s also about fifty or sixty ranch hands working here right now.\u00a0\u00a0 Most, if not ALL of them would take up arms in defense of the Cartwrights, the Ponderosa . . . and by extension, YOU, in a heartbeat.\u00a0\u00a0 Brett would either have to be stupid or insane to even THINK of trying something.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTheresa, that\u2019s just it! \u00a0\u00a0Brett IS insane!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Suddenly, her entire body tensed.\u00a0\u00a0 She turned toward the window, ears straining.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTeresa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . I think I hear horses.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s probably Ben and the others returning.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Out in the living room, seated in the blue chair next to the fireplace, Adam\u2019s sharp ears had also picked up the sound of approaching horses.\u00a0\u00a0 He placed his bookmark in between the pages, then snapped his book shut.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTeresa?\u201d<\/p>\n

Teresa stepped put of the guest room, noiselessly closing the door behind her.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYes, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam placed his book on the coffee table and rose.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cStay close to Peggy,\u201d he said as he made his way across the room toward the front door.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m going to step outside and see who that is.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease be careful.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlways.\u201d<\/p>\n

Teresa quietly stepped back into the guest room, closing the door behind her.<\/p>\n

Less than half dozen steps taken at a brisk stride brought Adam to the front door.\u00a0 He quickly slipped on his gun belt and holster, then stepped outside.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cHey, Kid, how\u2019s about a friendly game of penny ante checkers after we stable the horses and get ourselves cleaned up?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Joe invited as he and Stacy entered the front yard walking Bonnie Prince Charlie and Sun Dancer respectively.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo thanks, Grandpa,\u201d Stacy immediately declined.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhatsa matter?\u00a0\u00a0 You chicken?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAsk me again when my allowance is reinstated.\u00a0\u00a0 Mucking out the stalls for the next month of Sundays is about all I can handle.\u00a0\u00a0 I don\u2019t wanna try for TWO.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBwww-wwaaaak, bwak, bwak, bwak!\u201d Joe squawked, flapping his free arm like a wing.<\/p>\n

\u201cBwak, bwak, bwak, bwak, yourself!\u00a0\u00a0 I don\u2019t exactly hear you asking me AFTER my allowance has been reinstated.\u201d<\/p>\n

Unable to quite keep back the smile, Joe thumbed his nose at her.<\/p>\n

Stacy responded by sticking out her tongue.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Adam!\u201d Joe turned and waved to their oldest brother standing on theporch.\u00a0\u00a0 His eyes dropped to the holster and gun strapped around Adam\u2019s waist.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI hope you\u2019re not expecting company . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Adam cast a furtive glance over his shoulder, then stepped off the porch and crossed the yard on an intercept course with his youngest brother and sister.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cActually, I\u2019m not quite sure what to expect in the way of company,\u201d he said, upon catching up to and falling in step along side them.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, if that\u2019s how you greet your friends, Adam, I\u2019d hate to see— \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGrandpa, I don\u2019t think Adam\u2019s kidding,\u201d Stacy said noting the mouth set in a grim straight line and the jaw determinedly set.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhaddya mean . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cKeep your voice down, Little Brother,\u201d Adam said in a quiet, yet very firm tone.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t want to upset Peggy, but the two of YOU need to be aware that sooner or later her husband of hers is going to start looking for her, if he hasn\u2019t already.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo?\u201d Joe queried.<\/p>\n

\u201cLittle Brother,\u201d Adam said with subtle emphasis on \u2018Little,\u2019 \u201cthis man, and I use that term very loosely, is capable of harming, maybe even killing the mother of his unborn child.\u00a0\u00a0 If he finds out she\u2019s HERE . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, Adam, I get the picture,\u201d Joe snapped.<\/p>\n

\u201cStacy, maybe you\u2019d better keep closer to home until . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you worry none about our little sister here, Adam,\u201d Joe stoutly took up for her.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe Kid\u2019s well able to take care of herself, thank you very much.\u00a0 Pa, Hoss, Candy, AND I have seen to that . . . not to mention her Paiute family.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam, much to his surprise, found himself inwardly bristling at the obvious omission.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou didn\u2019t happen to see Pa while you were out, did you?\u201d<\/p>\n

His older brother\u2019s clipped words and terse tone of voice brought an angry scowl to Joe\u2019s face.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI thought I saw him coming . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou did?\u201d Stacy looked over at Joe in mild surprise.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah.\u00a0\u00a0 It was right after Candy fired the gun to start,\u201d Joe said, addressing his sister in a kindlier tone.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYOU would\u2019ve have your mind on Sun Dancer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTrue,\u201d Stacy agreed, leaving her oldest brother to wonder at how much truth lay behind Joe\u2019s assurances as to how well she could fend for herself.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt any rate, Adam . . . Hoss and Candy were coming in behind us,\u201d Joe said in a tone that dripped icicles.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf that WAS Pa I saw back there on the road, he\u2019ll probably be with them.\u00a0\u00a0 Come on, Stacy, we\u2019d better see to the Bonnie Prince here and Sun Dancer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stood on the porch, arms folded across his chest, watching their retreating backs for a moment.\u00a0\u00a0 Focusing all his attention on his sister, he unfolded his arms, slowly lowering the gun hand down next to his holster.\u00a0\u00a0 He extended his first finger and thumb, loosely curling the other three fingers up next to his palm.\u00a0 \u00a0\u201cOh, Stacy . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBang, Adam, you\u2019re dead!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy stood facing Adam, with her thumb pointed up, first finger aimed dead on at his heart.\u00a0\u00a0 She had pivoted and \u201cdrawn\u201d on him so fast, he never even saw it coming, despite having his own eyes trained on her the entire time.\u00a0\u00a0 Had Stacy been a gunslinger and her hand the gun it so aptly mimicked . . . .<\/p>\n

Adam shuddered.<\/p>\n

\u201cToldja so, Oldest Brother!\u201d Joe quipped, the better portion of his good humor restored.<\/p>\n

\u201cY-Yes, you most certainly DID,\u201d Adam agreed soberly.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, Little Sister, we\u2019d better see to the horses.\u201d<\/p>\n

A few moments later, Ben, Hoss, and Candy rode into the yard.\u00a0\u00a0 All three of them were grinning broadly.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Adam, where\u2019d the babies of the family git themselves off to?\u201d Hoss called out to his older brother, still standing out on the porch, staring after the path Stacy and Joe had taken to the barn.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re . . . in the barn, seeing to the horses . . . . \u201d Adam replied in a hallow voice.<\/p>\n

Hoss took Buck\u2019s reins from his father, then accompanied Candy and horses into the barn.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the matter, Son?\u201d Ben asked, as he stepped up onto the porch.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou look like you\u2019ve just seen a ghost.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa . . . d-do you realize . . . Stacy\u2019s . . . I think sh-she just may be faster than J-Joe was . . . at the same age!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Adam still had difficulty believing it.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, we\u2019ve ALL taught her very well,\u201d Ben said as they entered the house.\u00a0\u00a0 He frowned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI hope she didn\u2019t put you up to any wagering . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shook his head, and smiled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo, nothing like THAT, Pa.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He recounted the conversation he had with Joe and Stacy upon their return, and the subsequent showdown.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI never even saw her move.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s one of the reasons why I won\u2019t let her carry a loaded gun yet,\u201d Ben said soberly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTo be quick is a fine thing, Adam, and for many it\u2019s meant the difference between life and death.\u00a0\u00a0 One the other hand, it\u2019s NOT good to be so quick you don\u2019t leave yourself time to think about what you\u2019re doing, and the repercussions.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was one of the first things you told me back when I was learning how to handle a gun.\u00a0\u00a0 As I recall, I was feeling a mite frustrated because of my slow timing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben smiled, remembering.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat was something I only had to tell you and Hoss ONCE,\u201d he said as they stepped through the front door.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWith Joe, I think ALL of us . . . you, me, AND Hoss . . . had to remind him on at least a dozen occasions—\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cONLY a dozen?\u201d Adam queried, with a bare hint of an amused smile tugging hard at the corner of his mouth.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s when I stopped counting,\u201d Ben replied.<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . and Stacy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve have been and still AM reminding her of that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you get that telegram sent?\u201d Adam lowered his voice as they stepped into the house.<\/p>\n

Ben nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cRoy sent two, one to San Francisco and one to Placerville.\u00a0\u00a0 HIS idea.\u00a0 How have things been here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cQuiet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben suddenly paused mid-stride.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSomeone\u2019s coming.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He immediately turned and went back outside, with his oldest son following close at his heels.\u00a0\u00a0 On the other side of the yard he saw the barn door open, and Hoss stepping out.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben furiously gestured for him to get back into the barn, and hopefully keep Joe and Stacy there as well.\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss nodded, and stepped back inside the barn, pulling the door to behind him.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss?\u00a0\u00a0 What\u2019s going on?\u201d Joe demanded sotto voce.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe nothin\u2019,\u201d Hoss said grimly, lifting his gun from his holster.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut, just in case . . . how \u2018bout YOU goin\u2019 up in the loft \u2018n keepin\u2019 watch out that window up there.\u00a0\u00a0 Stay outta sight, an\u2019 DON\u2019T fire, unless I do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe nodded curtly and set off.<\/p>\n

\u201cLi\u2019l Sister, you take cover right here behind me, \u2018n jus\u2019 stay put.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs that . . . Peggy\u2019s husband?\u201d Stacy asked, her voice barely audible.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Hoss replied, \u201cbut we ain\u2019t takin\u2019 any chances neither!\u201d<\/p>\n

Out in the yard, a black buggy pulled up, drawn by a single brown horse.<\/p>\n

The driver was an old woman, attired in a bright, cherry red traveling suit.\u00a0\u00a0 A mop of blonde ringlets framed a rounded face, with sagging jowls and chin line.\u00a0\u00a0 Her lips and long, almond shaped nails matched the color of her outfit.\u00a0\u00a0 Her rouge, powder, and foundation had been carefully, painstakingly applied.\u00a0\u00a0 But, not even the best of cosmetics could erase the deep furrows in her forehead, locked into a perpetual, angry frown, or the tiny lines radiating away from ruby lips, unhappily pursed together.<\/p>\n

The passenger, taller than the driver and heavier through the middle, leaned back into the deep shadows underneath the roof of the buggy.\u00a0\u00a0 Though her face was completely obscured by shadow, two fine cascades of dusty blonde curls, flanking either side of her neck, spilled into the sunlight and fell across her chest.\u00a0\u00a0 She wore a light blue traveling suit, stylish, and as well made as the red one worn by the driver.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell hello, Ben!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 The driver greeted the Cartwright clan patriarch with a cold, mirthless smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLong time no see.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHello, Lil.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Ben noted that she had lost a considerable amount of weight in the years since he had last seen her.\u00a0\u00a0 Even so, she still remained a buxom, fine figured woman.\u00a0\u00a0 Her eyes, the same pale blue color as those of his second son, Hoss, held no warmth.\u00a0\u00a0 They seemed to glint like cold, hard steel in the warm late afternoon sunlight.\u00a0\u00a0 He peered into the depths of the shadow inside the buggy, seeking the lines of the passenger\u2019s face, concealed within.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLaura?\u00a0\u00a0 Is that you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cY-yes, Ben,\u201d she replied in a small, timid voice.\u00a0\u00a0 She leaned back hard against the seat, in an almost desperate attempt to escape the sunlight and the prying eyes of the Cartwright family, surrounding her on all sides.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cH-hello.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLaura?!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Adam stepped down off the porch and walked around to the passenger\u2019s side of the buggy.<\/p>\n

Laura leaned forward into the sunlight, her eyes round with shock, her mouth hanging open.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cA-Adam?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is quite a surprise,\u201d Adam said, striving to keep his tone even.\u00a0\u00a0 Laura\u2019s appearance shocked him.\u00a0\u00a0 She seemed to have gained every last ounce of weight Aunt Lil had lost, and maybe a few pounds more.\u00a0\u00a0 Her blonde hair, laced generously with strands of silver, had been pulled back severely away from her face, accentuating its bloated roundness.\u00a0\u00a0 Laura\u2019s upper lip and eyelids were red and swollen.<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I\u2019d heard you were living in Sacramento,\u201d she murmured, her voice barely audible.<\/p>\n

\u201cI do, with my wife and two children,\u201d Adam replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe, Teresa and I, are here visiting.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow nice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid we can\u2019t stay long,\u201d Lil announced, her light, bouncy voice a disturbing contrast to the steel in her eyes and the grim, determined set of her lower jaw.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLaura and I\u2019ve come to pick up our wayward li\u2019l gal.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat wayward little gal?\u201d Ben asked with a frown.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeggy, of course!\u00a0\u00a0 We\u2019ve ALL been worried sick since she up and vanished into thin air right after Brett\u2019s birthday bash, four nights ago, now,\u201d Lil rambled on.<\/p>\n

\u201cLil, what makes you think Peggy\u2019s HERE?\u201d Adam asked in a bland, almost bored sounding tone of voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere ELSE would she go?\u201d Lil growled.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy any number of places,\u201d Adam returned without missing a beat.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam Cartwright, I don\u2019t know what kind of an idiot you take me for . . . . \u201d Lil turned and vented the rage and fear that had grown inside her since Peggy\u2019s disappearance.<\/p>\n

\u201cTHAT\u2019S a loaded question,\u201d Adam observed wryly.<\/p>\n

Lil closed her eyes and forced herself to take deep even breaths.\u00a0\u00a0 At length, she slowly opened them, and smiled brightly.\u00a0\u00a0 There was no warmth in her smile, and none of its brightness touched the dark, brooding intensity in her unwavering, lizard like gaze.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBen,\u201d she pointedly turned to appeal to the clan patriarch, \u201csurely we can settle this like mature adults, without all this inane baiting and innuendo.\u00a0\u00a0 I don\u2019t know what Peggy\u2019s told you . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Ben, with arms folded across his chest, said nothing.<\/p>\n

Lil was momentarily taken aback by Ben\u2019s silence.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYes, well . . . to, umm, bring you up on all our family news, Peggy\u2019s married to a wonderful, kind, and generous man.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose congratulations are in order.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 It took every ounce of will Ben possessed to keep his tone neutral.<\/p>\n

\u201cBen, Peggy\u2019s pregnant now with their first child,\u201d Lil blithely rambled on.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSurely, you know how pregnant ladies are, having been married three times yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a number of years now, Lil,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhy don\u2019t you refresh my memory?\u201d<\/p>\n

Lil inwardly bristled against the faint condescending element she heard in his voice.\u00a0 She took another breath, deep, slow, and even.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPregnant ladies tend to be very emotional, given to hysterics.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She turned to Adam.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI understand YOU\u2019RE married now, with a couple of kids.\u00a0\u00a0 Surely YOU know what I\u2019m talking about . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t say as I DO, Lil,\u201d Adam said with a bewildered frown.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe were both happy and delighted when we learned she was pregnant, of course, but on the whole, through out BOTH pregnancies, my wife was very cool, calm, and collected.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLil, . . . and YOU, too, Laura, it\u2019s been an unexpected surprise seeing you again, but I\u2019m afraid I\u2019m going to have to cut our visit short,\u201d Ben said in a quiet, yet very firm tone.<\/p>\n

\u201cY-you\u2019re not going to invite us in?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI would, but I\u2019m afraid that\u2019s not possible,\u201d Ben said, not missing a beat.<\/p>\n

Lil\u2019s smile suddenly vanished, and with it all pretense of courtesy and pleasantness.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re NOT leaving without Peggy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m still at a loss to understand why you keep insisting Peggy is HERE,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf I happen to see her, I\u2019ll certainly be more than happy to let her know that you and Laura are looking for her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI SAID Laura and I are NOT leaving without Peggy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLil, the Ponderosa IS private property,\u201d Ben hastened to remind her, \u201cand both you and Laura have overstayed your welcome.\u00a0\u00a0 If the two of you AREN\u2019T on your way by the time I count five . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Ponderosa may belong to YOU, Ben, but Peggy belongs to her husband, who happens to be very worried about her.\u00a0\u00a0 Laura and I are not leaving until you fetch her out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf the two of you aren\u2019t on your way by the time I count five, I\u2019ll take you into Virginia City myself and have you both jailed for trespassing,\u201d Ben said, his voice tight with anger.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOne . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBen, please . . . . \u201d Laura begged, with tears streaming down her face.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPeggy\u2019s got to come back with us, she simply must.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTwo . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cY-you don\u2019t understand . . . . \u201d Laura sobbed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou . . . you just don\u2019t understand.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThree!\u201d Ben said tersely.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI trust you both know the way back to the main road!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right!\u201d Lil snarled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll go . . . for NOW!\u00a0\u00a0 But this conversation ain\u2019t over, MISTER Cartwright.\u00a0\u00a0 Not by a long shot!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 With that, she angrily whipped her horse into a gallop and sped off.<\/p>\n

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

Adam stood on the porch beside his father, waiting until their buggy disappeared from sight behind the barn, and for the sounds of horse hooves to finally fade to silence.\u00a0\u00a0 He, then, turned and went back inside.\u00a0\u00a0 A few steps, less than half a dozen brought him face to face with the closed door to the downstairs guest room.<\/p>\n

He knocked.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome in,\u201d Teresa invited.<\/p>\n

Upon entering the room, his eyes fell on Peggy\u2019s face first, her complexion pale and her enormous blue eyes filled with hopeless despair.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThey\u2019ve found me, Adam!\u00a0\u00a0 Dear God, they\u2019ve found me!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She buried her face in her hands and wept.<\/p>\n

Teresa immediately slipped her arms around Peggy\u2019s heaving shoulders and held her close.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe heard everything you said out there, Adam,\u201d Teresa said, her voice taut with her own growing anger.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWord for word.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded, understanding.\u00a0\u00a0 He quietly pulled up a chair next to the other side of the bed.\u00a0\u00a0 When, at length, her tears abated, he reached out and gently touched her shoulder.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPeggy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cY-yes, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI won\u2019t lie to you,\u201d he said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLil and your mother have their suspicions, and Lil, at least, knows her suspicions are well founded, but that\u2019s all they have.\u00a0\u00a0 They have no concrete proof whatsoever that you\u2019re here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut, they KNOW, Adam . . . and they\u2019re going to tell Brett.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMore than likely,\u201d Adam reluctantly had to agree.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cEven so, you\u2019re STILL safer here on the Ponderosa than you would be anywhere else.\u00a0\u00a0 Pa, Teresa, my brothers, sister, Hop Sing, and I will ALL see to that.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cHey, Pa . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss called to his father, as he emerged from the barn.\u00a0\u00a0 His younger brother and sister followed at his heels, both looking grim.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWho was that?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He inclined his head in the direction of the rapidly departing buggy.<\/p>\n

\u201cLaura Dayton and her aunt, Lil Manfred,\u201d Ben muttered through clenched teeth.<\/p>\n

\u201cDadburn it!\u00a0\u00a0 They know where she is now!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSurely they\u2019re not going to go back and tell Peggy\u2019s husband,\u201d Stacy protested.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNot after what that . . .\u00a0 **** \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 The word was Paiute, a vile word bordering on obscenity for a bully and coward.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c . . . did to her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid they ARE going to tell Peggy\u2019s husband, Stacy,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow COULD they?\u201d Stacy demanded, outraged.\u00a0\u00a0 The very idea was beyond her imagining.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like to know the answer to that one myself,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo what do we do now, Pa?\u201d Joe asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat exactly did Mister Milburn say when you talked with HIM this mornin\u2019?\u201d Hoss asked.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou said earlier that he didn\u2019t have good news for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe all need to sit down and talk about that,\u201d Ben said grimly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSooner, rather than later.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow soon, Pa?\u201d Hoss pressed.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter I talk with Peggy.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Brett van Slyke angrily, relentlessly paced the floor of his hotel suite, pausing more and more often, to guzzle the dark amber contents of the whiskey bottle in hand.\u00a0\u00a0 The room, though luxurious and posh by the standards of Placerville, California, stood a poor contrast against the comfort to which he was well accustomed in San Francisco.\u00a0\u00a0 His father had ordered him to come here, to this hellhole lying on the outer edge of nowhere, supposedly to check on the family holdings and investments in the area.\u00a0\u00a0 Both he and his father knew full well that a wire from San Francisco, making appropriate inquiries, would have been sufficient.<\/p>\n

The real reason he was here had to do with that slut who used to sing at the Barbary Palace Saloon, down near the docks.\u00a0\u00a0 She was a real pretty thing, with those warm brown eyes and that thick mane of dark brown curls all around her face and neck.\u00a0\u00a0 She was warm in so many other ways, too.\u00a0 The memory of holding her tight in his arms that last time, her round, soft, voluptuous body pressed close, and the way she moved was nothing less than pure, absolute rapture.<\/p>\n

All he did, all he ever wanted to do that night was be nice to her.\u00a0\u00a0 Why did she have to hurt him?<\/p>\n

The loud insistent pounding on the door to his room rudely jolted him from the mists of reverie back to present time and place, leaving him disoriented.\u00a0\u00a0 For a long moment, Brett stood, unmoving, staring dully at his surroundings.<\/p>\n

\u201cMister van Slyke?\u201d a deep masculine voice called from with out.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister van Slyke, you in there?\u201d<\/p>\n

Brett vigorously shook his head, as if to physically dislodge his stupefaction.<\/p>\n

The man outside pounded on the door again, louder this time, more insistent.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome in, it\u2019s open!\u201d Brett ordered.<\/p>\n

It was Lark Meredith, the troubleshooter hired by his father to keep an eye on things, and on him.\u00a0\u00a0 Though he was only a few years Brett van Slyke\u2019s senior, the deeply etched lines in his weary, careworn face, and his slightly stooped posture, lent him the appearance of a man much older.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJust got a wire from Jake,\u201d Lark reported in a crisp, business like tone.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s been keeping a sharp eye on Mrs.\u00a0 Dayton and Mrs. Manfred since they arrived in Virginia City this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter they got off the stage, the checked into the International Hotel,\u201d Lark reported.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThey had a late breakfast, did a little shopping, then hired a buggy from the livery stable and went out to the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brett took another swig from the bottle in hand, then wiped his mouth across his sleeve.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019s this Pon-de-RO-sa?\u201d he demanded, enunciating each syllabic divide.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s an enormous spread, located just the other side of Lake Tahoe, owned by a man named Ben Cartwright,\u201d Lark replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMrs. Dayton and your wife knew the Cartwrights very well when they lived outside of Virginia City.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh?\u00a0\u00a0 How WELL did they know these Cartwrights?\u201d Brett demanded, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Dayton was engaged the Ben Cartwright\u2019s oldest son briefly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIsn\u2019t THAT very interesting.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIndeed.\u00a0\u00a0 According to Jake\u2019s report, Mrs. Manfred and Mrs. Dayton rode out to the Ponderosa demanding that Mrs. van Slyke leave with them.\u00a0\u00a0 The Cartwrights denied that she was even there.\u00a0\u00a0 Jake, however, strongly believes otherwise.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid Jake actually see her?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen how can Jake be so sure she\u2019s there?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe plain and simple truth is, Mrs. van Slyke had no where else to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen why didn\u2019t Jake fetch her back?\u201d Brett demanded peevishly.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause Jake\u2019s orders were to follow Mrs. Dayton and Mrs. Manfred, and let ME know if they led him to your wife,\u201d Lark replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe should\u2019ve fetched her back!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJake did some other checking on the Cartwrights, too, Mister van Slyke,\u201d Lark said tersely.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNone of \u2018em are what you\u2019d call pushovers.\u00a0\u00a0 They\u2019ve stood up to men every bit as rich and powerful as your father . . . and WON.\u00a0 Furthermore, this Ben Cartwright has about fifty men working for him, all of \u2018em proficient in handling a rifle.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo storming the Cartwright abode is out of the question.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d Brett demanded petulantly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI<\/strong> have men.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour FATHER has men.\u00a0\u00a0 You\u2019ve got a less than a dozen of \u2018em here with you, and half o\u2019 THEM are accountants who wouldn\u2019t know the difference between the barrel and butt ends of a rifle.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOK, we buy the Cartwrights off.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid NOT,\u201d Lark shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt seems the Cartwrights number among that rare breed of men who value things like honesty, justice, and fair play much more than they value money.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI want her back, Meredith.\u00a0\u00a0 I want my wife back with me RIGHT NOW.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to get her back, but we\u2019re going to do it MY way.\u00a0\u00a0 Your father\u2019s got enough trouble to straighten out in San Francisco as it is.\u00a0\u00a0 The last thing he needs right now is to have trouble start up HERE.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTrouble\u2019s already started, Lark.\u00a0\u00a0 Peggy\u2019s gone.\u00a0\u00a0 Slipped right through my fingers during that party the other night . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He turned and favored Lark with a nasty grin.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c . . . and she slipped right through YOURS, too.\u00a0\u00a0 Papa\u2019s not gonna be real thrilled to hear THAT, either.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI SAID we will do this MY way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOk, fine!\u00a0\u00a0 You\u2019ve got three days to do this YOUR way, Meredith.\u00a0\u00a0 Three days!\u00a0\u00a0 After that, I get Peggy back MY way . . . like I did Miss Rosie O\u2019Malley.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lark blanched.\u00a0\u00a0 He stood as if rooted to the spot staring over at his employer\u2019s son in shocked horror, too stunned to speak.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s all, Meredith, you may go,\u201d Brett said in an insultingly dismissive tone.<\/p>\n

\u201cN-now you listen to me and you listen GOOD, you . . . you spoiled little punk . . . .\u201d Lark growled as his initial shock gave way to rising anger.<\/p>\n

\u201cI TOLD you to get out!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Brett\u2019s entire body began to tremble.\u00a0\u00a0 His fingers stiffened then curled into a pair of tight, rock hard fists.\u00a0\u00a0 His eyes stretched to their absolute limits of wide roundness, before abruptly narrowing into a pair of narrow slits.\u00a0\u00a0 His face was beet red, and strangely contorted.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGET OUT!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 His voice rose alarmingly in volume, bordering at the very edge of hysteria.\u00a0 \u201cGET OUT, GET OUT,\u00a0 GET.\u00a0\u00a0 OUT<\/strong>!\u201d<\/p>\n

Alarmed and shaken, Lark wordlessly moved toward the door backwards, never once taking his eyes away from Brett.<\/p>\n

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

Ben stepped up to the closed door of the downstairs guestroom, and knocked softly.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome in,\u201d Peggy responded.<\/p>\n

Ben opened the door and stepped into the room.\u00a0\u00a0 He found Peggy lying in the bed, propped up by a couple of large, fluffy pillows.\u00a0\u00a0 Adam and Teresa were with her, each occupying chairs pulled up on either side of the bed.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben immediately took note of Peggy\u2019s reddened cheeks, her swollen eyelids and upper lip, and eyes, glistening with unusual brightness.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou heard?\u201d he queried, inclining his head toward the window, and the outdoors beyond.<\/p>\n

\u201cY-yes, Uncle Ben.\u00a0\u00a0 Teresa and I heard everything,\u201d Peggy replied in as stead a voice as she could muster.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, what did Mister Milburn say when you spoke with him this morning?\u201d Adam asked.<\/p>\n

Ben turned toward Peggy.\u00a0\u00a0 She returned his gaze, her bright blue eyes meeting his dark ones without flinching.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPeggy, Mister Milburn tells me it\u2019s possible for you to divorce your husband on grounds of cruelty.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do I need to do?\u201d Peggy asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll need to petition for divorce,\u201d Ben replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ll also need to establish proof.\u00a0\u00a0 I didn\u2019t talk to Doctor Martin . . . he\u2019s the one who came out and saw you the other day, but I\u2019m reasonably certain he\u2019ll agree to provide testimony.\u00a0\u00a0 But, you\u2019re going to need OTHER witnesses.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I was afraid of this . . . . \u201d Peggy\u2019s eyelids blinked excessively, as she bowed her head.<\/p>\n

Adam automatically reached over, and gave Peggy\u2019s hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPa,\u201d he said, looking up at Ben, \u201cDoctor Martin\u2019s a very fine doctor with impeccable credentials.\u00a0\u00a0 Why do we need other witnesses?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause the Martins are also very good friends of ours, and have been for many years now,\u201d Ben replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf Peggy\u2019s husband decides to contest her petition for divorce, his lawyer will move to discredit, maybe even bar Doctor Martin\u2019s testimony on the grounds that our friendship may have unduly influenced him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeggy, is there anyone else who would be willing to testify on your behalf?\u201d Teresa prodded gently.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAnyone at all?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe servants in our home in San Francisco have seen and heard everything,\u201d Peggy said bitterly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt would have been impossible for them NOT to!\u00a0\u00a0 But, unfortunately for ME, Brett\u2019s father pays their salaries.\u00a0\u00a0 If they say anything at all, it\u2019ll be whatever HE tells them to say.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we all know for fact we can\u2019t count on Lil Manfred to defend Peggy,\u201d Adam added with a touch of rancor, \u201cand from what I saw, she has poor Laura so cowed, we can\u2019t count on her either.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeggy, do you have any friends who would be willing to speak up for you?\u201d Teresa asked.<\/p>\n

Peggy shook her head dolefully.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI have no friends, not anymore.\u00a0\u00a0 For the better part of the last year, Brett\u2019s not allowed me to see anyone, except for Mother, Aunt Lil, and . . . Doctor Phillips!!!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve been seeing him since you found out you were pregnant?\u201d Teresa asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes!\u00a0\u00a0 I also went to him when I found out I was pregnant the SECOND time.\u00a0\u00a0 He can verify that I miscarried because . . . because of Brett\u2019s violence.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s in San Francisco?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Peggy replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDoctor Forsythe Phillips.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d better write this down,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0\u00a0 He quickly excused himself, then went to his desk to fetch pencil and paper.\u00a0\u00a0 When he returned a moment later, Peggy repeated the doctor\u2019s full name, and supplied the address.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll ride into town first thing in the morning.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ll speak with Paul Martin, and ask HIM to contact Doctor Phillips.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ll also make arrangements with Lucas Milburn to come here and meet with you, Peggy, tomorrow if at all possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUncle Ben?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Peggy?\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy closed her eyes and took a deep breath.\u00a0\u00a0 Her fingers closed tightly around Adam\u2019s hand, resting lightly over her own.\u00a0\u00a0 She opened her eyes, and forced herself to look Ben straight in the eye.\u00a0\u00a0 Peggy swallowed, then spoke in as steady a voice as she could muster.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cUncle Ben, what about my baby?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wish I had an answer for you, Peggy,\u201d Ben said ruefully.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf Mister van Slyke has no interest in the child, custody will automatically go to you.\u00a0\u00a0 On the other hand if he petitions for custody . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy gasped, as the blood drained right out of her face.\u00a0\u00a0 She glanced from Ben, to Adam, to Teresa, then back once more to Ben through eyes round with horror.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAre . . . are you telling m-me . . . Brett c-could take my baby away from me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh Dear God, no!\u201d Peggy moaned, her voice filled with heart wrenching despair.<\/p>\n

\u201cBen, what judge in his right mind would award custody of a child to a . . . to a monster like Brett van Slyke?\u201d Teresa demanded, outraged.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have three circuit judges presently,\u201d Ben replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLucas told me earlier that two of them are of the opinion that a child belongs with his or her father.\u00a0\u00a0 Both feel that fathers are better able to provide financially for their children, and— \u201d<\/p>\n

He broke off, unwilling to continue.<\/p>\n

Adam noted his father\u2019s suddenly ruddy complexion.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPa, what is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThose two judges also feel that the . . . morals of a woman petitioning for divorce are . . . are highly suspect,\u201d Ben said reluctantly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about the third judge, Uncle Ben?\u201d Peggy asked in a small, half embarrassed voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has been known to award custody of the children to the mother if a compelling case can be made for the unfitness of the father to assume responsibility,\u201d Ben replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t let Brett have this baby, I can\u2019t,\u201d Peggy said, her voice breaking.<\/p>\n

\u201cBen, what are Peggy\u2019s chances of getting the judge most likely to be sympathetic to her petitions for divorce and custody of her baby?\u201d Teresa asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cLucas can and will ask that Judge Thompson be appointed to hear the case,\u201d Ben replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut there\u2019s no guarantees.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe . . . maybe I should just go back,\u201d Peggy murmured, sick with hopeless despair.<\/p>\n

\u201cGo back where?\u201d Teresa asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cGo back to Brett!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeggy, you CAN\u2019T,\u201d Adam protested in a quiet yet very firm tone.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I can\u2019t let this child be turned over to the likes of Brett van Slyke with no one to defend or protect him or her!\u201d Peggy sobbed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt would be . . . condemning\u00a0 an innocent baby to death, or worse . . . a life time of torture and abuse.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeggy, that\u2019s NOT going to happen,\u201d Adam said grimly, his face set with fierce determination.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMy family and I have faced a lot of uphill battles against nearly impossible odds over the years, and we\u2019ve always come out on top.\u00a0\u00a0 We\u2019re going to find a way to come out on top this time, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy impulsively threw her arms around Adam\u2019s neck, and hugged him tight for a moment.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou . . . you almost make me believe you,\u201d she murmured, her voice unsteady.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019d better believe him, Peggy,\u201d Ben said, offering her a smile of encouragement.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAfter all, Adam here IS the smart one on the family . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0*********<\/p>\n

Chapter 2 — Descent Into Hell<\/p>\n

She stood in a small room, gowned in a long, flowing garment of white cloud and light.\u00a0\u00a0 Three walls of the room were windows, clear glass with no shades, no curtains, no draperies to block the morning sunlight streaming in, bathing the entire room with bright white light.\u00a0\u00a0 The fourth and only true wall was painted a brilliant light-white.\u00a0\u00a0 In the far distance, somewhere beyond the walls surrounding her, she heard the sound of a child laughing with wild, joyous abandon.\u00a0\u00a0 The joy, the love, the unbridled delight she heard in that laughter swelled\u00a0 until it filled the entire room where she stood waiting.<\/em><\/p>\n

The child\u2019s laughter brought forth a song from somewhere deep in her heart.\u00a0\u00a0 She listened carefully to the words, to the simple, lyrical melody rising now from the depths of her heart, then gave her heartsong voice.\u00a0\u00a0 She felt her tensed body relaxing and swaying in time to the song\u2019 s gentle rhythms.\u00a0\u00a0 The song rose, filling her entire being, gently urging her feet to move.<\/em><\/p>\n

She gave herself over to the song building, rising from the depths of her heart.\u00a0\u00a0 Her feet moved of their own volition, slowly at first, almost hesitantly.\u00a0\u00a0 She circled around the room, her feet and legs moving with more confidence, faster, ever faster. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

The child\u2019s laughter rose, its simple descant harmonizing with the symphony of her heartsong.\u00a0\u00a0 A second child, laughing with the same unrestrained joy, joined the first.\u00a0\u00a0 A third child immediately followed.\u00a0\u00a0 The lines of their musical laughter flowed together, intertwining, and merging with the growing, swelling melody of her heartsong.<\/em><\/p>\n

The children\u2019s laughter and her own music faded away to silence as a door appeared in the fourth wall, then opened.\u00a0\u00a0 She stepped back away from the open portal, suddenly afraid.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cCome along, My Pretty Peggy. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em>Come along this way.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

It was her mother, Laura, as she was many years ago, back when the two of them lived in Nevada.\u00a0\u00a0 Smiling, very much as a child herself, Laura flounced up toward Peggy, seizing her daughter\u2019s hand in her own, clutching it tightly to her side.<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cTo the church, Pretty Peggy. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em>\u2018Tis your wedding day.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Aunt Lil appeared on her right, grabbing her right hand in a powerful vice like grip, and holding fast.<\/em><\/p>\n

Panic rose swiftly within, threatening to wholly inundate her.\u00a0\u00a0 She tried to pull her hands from her mother\u2019s and Aunt Lil\u2019s, but their grip was fast, too strong.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cCome along, My Pretty Peggy. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em>Come along this way. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/em>To the church, Pretty Peggy. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/em>\u2018Tis your wedding day.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Mother and Aunt Lil led her toward the door chanting the rhyme her father, her real father, Frank Dayton, had made up just for her, many, many years ago.\u00a0\u00a0 She struggled in earnest, desperate to free herself.\u00a0\u00a0 No matter how hard, how fiercely she struggled, they continued steadily toward the open door.<\/em><\/p>\n

She, wholly against her will, entered the room, propelled along by her mother and her great aunt.\u00a0\u00a0 Inside all was an opaque, impenetrable blackness, broken here and there by the dull glow of gold fire from torches all around the room.\u00a0 \u00a0There was a table at the far end of the room, covered with a white cloth.\u00a0\u00a0 A long, narrow aisle led from the door to that table.<\/em><\/p>\n

As she, her mother, and her aunt moved down the aisle, her gown changed from cloud and light to a heavy robe of gold brocade, encrusted with jewels.\u00a0\u00a0 The room was crowded with people, all packed in so tightly, no one could move.\u00a0\u00a0 A new sound filled the air.\u00a0\u00a0 She thought it was the wind, at first, then maybe the sound of spring melt rushing down from the high mountains through dry gullies to the rivers, steams and lakes.\u00a0\u00a0 Then she heard words.\u00a0\u00a0 She couldn\u2019t make them out at first, but she knew they were words, nonetheless.\u00a0\u00a0 As she neared the table at the far end of the room, sounds coalesced into recognizable vowels and consonants.\u00a0\u00a0 Words emerged from the seemingly random vowel and consonant sounds, forming strings of words:<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cCome along, My Pretty Peggy. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em>Come along this way. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/em>To the church, Pretty Peggy. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em>\u2018Tis your wedding day.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

They were all chanting it, including her mother and Aunt Lil flanking her on either side.\u00a0\u00a0 She renewed her valiant struggle to free herself, but they still held fast.<\/em><\/p>\n

When she reached the table, she was stripped of her heavy golden bejeweled gown and placed naked on the table.\u00a0\u00a0 Aunt Lil took the gown, draped it possessively over her arm.\u00a0\u00a0 She hugged it close to her own body, all the while looking down at her, smiling.\u00a0 That smile froze the very marrow in her bones.\u00a0\u00a0 Frightened, she tried to move, tried desperately to rise from the table and flee.\u00a0\u00a0 But she couldn\u2019t move.\u00a0\u00a0 Then, the words of the chant changed.<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cFrom the church, Pretty Peggy \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0T<\/em>o your marriage bed. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em>Bride and Lamb of Sacrifice \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em>Your blood will buy our bread .\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

She heard a thin wail above the chorus, striking a harsh discord against the tune sung in unison by the people gathered.\u00a0\u00a0 Another wail arose above the swelling sound of song and the first.\u00a0\u00a0 The children, she suddenly realized.\u00a0\u00a0 Two of the children, whose laughter had summoned forth her heartsong back there in the light, now screamed in the darkness, crying out in terrible agony.\u00a0\u00a0 She felt the sting of tears in her own eyes, borne of fear, horror, and anger at the person inflicting such cruel pain on the children.\u00a0\u00a0 Drawing strength from her anger, she tried again to move, to escape.\u00a0\u00a0 Her valiant struggling was in vain.<\/em><\/p>\n

The crowd gathered in the dark room surged forward , toward the table on which she was lying.\u00a0\u00a0 A sea of faces crowded into her line of vision.\u00a0\u00a0 Her eyes darted back and forth, scanning the faces, searching for the face of her mother.\u00a0\u00a0 She found her mother where she always was, where she had been for most of her life now.\u00a0\u00a0 Right next to Aunt Lil.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cMother, please!\u201d she begged, with tears streaming down her face.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMother, please, help me.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Laura smiled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNothing\u2019s going to happen to you, Peggy,\u201d her mother said with the same complacent detached tone she had used the time she told her that her father had left again, on a long trip.\u00a0\u00a0 A very long trip.\u00a0\u00a0 She didn\u2019t know when he would be coming home.\u00a0\u00a0 She only knew he wouldn\u2019t be coming home for a very, very, very long time.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cMOTHER, HELP ME!\u00a0\u00a0 PLEASE, PLEASE HELP ME!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cClose your eyes and count to one hundred, Peggy,\u201d Laura said with that beatific smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhen you reach one hundred, everything will be all right again.\u00a0\u00a0 You\u2019ll see, Peggy, you\u2019ll see.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The wailing of the two children rose in volume and pitch, wrenching her heart.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMother, help me please!\u00a0\u00a0 Help me, so I can help them, for the love of God, please!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cOne . . . . two . . . . three . . . . four . . . .\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Laura chanted the numbers in a childish sing-song voice.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCount, Peggy, you\u2019ll see!\u00a0\u00a0 Five, six, seven . . . . .\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The wailing crescendoed into an ear splitting, high pitched shriek, followed by ominous silence.\u00a0\u00a0 The silence was broken an agonized scream of raw, primal fury.\u00a0\u00a0 She was surprised to find it was she, herself screaming.<\/em><\/p>\n

A long, tall shadow fell over her, slicing her body in pieces with its sharp delineations of light and dark .<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201c . . . . eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, come on, Peggy!\u00a0\u00a0 Count!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The shadow falling over her body belonged to a tall man, clothed in pitch darkness, so thick, no eye, no torch, no beam of light could penetrate its depths.\u00a0\u00a0 A man\u2019s hand stretched forth from the darkness.\u00a0 \u00a0It was very well muscled, with skin that appeared to be bone white against his robe of blackness. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cFifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen . . . . \u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Blood covered the man\u2019s fingers and palm.\u00a0\u00a0 She heard a voice within that horrible darkness, taking up the words of the chant.\u00a0\u00a0 Laura continued to count, her voice rising above the man\u2019s, a discordant descant against his line of melody.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cCome along, My Pretty Peggy. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em>Come along this way.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cNineteen, twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three . . . . \u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cTo the church, Pretty Peggy . . . . \u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cCount, Peggy, please count!\u00a0\u00a0 Twenty-four . . . \u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018Tis your wedding day.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cTwenty-five . . . . twenty-six . . . . twenty-seven . . . . twenty . . . . \u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cFrom the church, Pretty Peggy . . . \u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201c . . . eight, twenty-nine, thirty!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201c . . . to your marriage bed.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThirty-one, thirty-two, thirty-three, thirty-four!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cBride and Lamb of Sacrifice \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em>Your blood will buy their bread .\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

High over her head the darkness faded to reveal a man\u2019s face, his once handsome features twisted into a demonic caricature of the way he used to look, before injury and illness extracted their own tolls.\u00a0\u00a0 He chanted the last verse of her song over and over.<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cFrom the church, Pretty Peggy \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em>to your marriage bed. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/em>Bride and Lamb of Sacrifice \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em>Your blood will buy their bread .\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Suddenly, she realized that the man clothed in darkness was Brett.\u00a0\u00a0 He pulled a single long strand of black from the darkness surrounding him, with slow, precise, agonizing slowness.\u00a0\u00a0 Unable to move, her cries, her screams for help falling on deaf ears, all she could do was lie there on that table and watch, numb with horror, as Brett wrapped each end of the long, black string around his hands.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m your groom, Pretty Peggy \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em>To love, honor, and obey. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em>With me you\u2019ll stay, Pretty Peggy, \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em>Forever and a day.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Chanting, he brought the black string stretched taut between his hands down over her throat.\u00a0\u00a0 She could feel that black string pressing down unbearably heard against her throat.\u00a0\u00a0 Its cold burned into her body and soul, sinking deeper and deeper down into the very core of her being.\u00a0\u00a0 She tried hard to scream, only to whimper.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cPeggy?\u00a0\u00a0 Peggy, wake up!\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy\u2019s eyes snapped wide open.\u00a0\u00a0 Her hands immediately flew to her throat as she struggled to sit up.\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy, with heart in mouth, slipped an arm around Peggy\u2019s shoulders and helped ease her to a sitting position.\u00a0\u00a0 Peggy drew in a deep, ragged breath, then wearily collapsed back down against the mound of cushions behind her head and back.<\/p>\n

\u201cP-Peggy?\u201d<\/p>\n

She slowly opened her eyes and found herself staring up into Stacy\u2019s anxious face.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you all right?\u201d Stacy asked.\u00a0\u00a0 She was dressed in a pair of worn slacks and an old white shirt of Joe\u2019s, that had long ago seen better days.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI heard you cry out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be all right, Stacy, I . . . I just need a minute to collect myself.\u201d Peggy murmured, closing her eyes once again.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat a horrible, horrible dream.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She shuddered.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeggy, I used to have nightmares all the time when I first came here,\u201d Stacy said sympathetically.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cActually, it was the same nightmare over and over.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019d wake up scared out of my wits.\u00a0\u00a0 It always helped when I could tell Pa, sometimes Hoss and Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy opened her mouth with every intention of asking Stacy to please, run upstairs and fetch Adam.\u00a0\u00a0 The insanity passed, as quickly as it had come upon her.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll be all right, Stacy, I promise.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She flashed Stacy a wan smile, hoping to reassure.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI hope I didn\u2019t wake you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stacy shook her head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI was already up.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s my turn to muck out the stalls.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy rolled her eyes and groaned melodramatically.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOh yes!\u00a0\u00a0 It all comes back to me!\u00a0\u00a0 The joys of life on a ranch!\u00a0\u00a0 I was responsible for mucking out Traveler\u2019s stall every morning, not-too-bright and early.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho\u2019s Traveler?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy pony.\u00a0\u00a0 Adam gave him to me shortly after my pa died.\u00a0\u00a0 I was all of eight years old at the time.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Peggy\u2019s eyes misted over, and her smile faded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMother and I gave him back to Adam when we moved to San Francisco.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ll bet I cried for a good solid month.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI would, too, if I had to go somewhere I couldn\u2019t take Blaze Face.\u00a0\u00a0 He\u2019s MY horse,\u201d Stacy said with genuine, heartfelt sympathy.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam said you\u2019re an excellent rider,\u201d Peggy murmured with a touch awe.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI think his exact words were, \u2018Stacy and Blaze Face together are swift, fluid poetry in motion.\u2019 \u201d<\/p>\n

Stacy felt the sudden rush of blood to her cheeks.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat . . . sounds like Adam!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid I just hear my name mentioned?\u201d<\/p>\n

Stacy and Peggy turned their faces to the open door, and saw Adam, clad in nightshirt and hastily donned robe.\u00a0\u00a0 He leaned against the doorway with arms folded loosely across his chest.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning, Adam,\u201d Peggy greeted him with a smile and extended her hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning, Peggy.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Adam stepped into the room, and reaching the side of her bed, gently took her extended hand in his.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShouldn\u2019t you be asleep?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was awakened by a bad dream.\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy heard me cry out, so she came to check up on me.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019m all right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou sure?\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy smiled and nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeggy, seeing as how you\u2019re in good hands, I\u2019d better get out to the barn,\u201d Stacy said with a smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cOk, Stacy.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ll see you later.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t forget your rain slicker, Little Sister,\u201d Adam said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s pouring down out there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stacy frowned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cA bit late in coming,\u201d she mused aloud.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAs red as the sky was day before yesterday at sunrise, I half way expected a big storm by YESTERDAY morning, if not before.\u00a0\u00a0 Well . . . see you two at breakfast!\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam wisely refrained from telling her that a big storm did start the same morning she saw that red sky at sunrise.\u00a0\u00a0 One that blew in wrapped in a cloud of blue silk.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, what\u2019s the REAL reason you\u2019re up, Adam?\u201d Peggy asked, after Stacy had left.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe rain against the roof woke me up,\u201d Adam said evasively.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI couldn\u2019t get back to sleep, so I thought I\u2019d come down here and read.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam Cartwright, you lie through your teeth!\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam stared down at her, completely dumbfounded.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re down here to check up on Stacy,\u201d Peggy continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou want to make sure someone\u2019s here to protect her, in case my . . . in case Brett shows up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI WAS speaking true when I said the rain woke me up,\u201d Adam said slowly, with a touch of reluctance .\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut, yes . . . I want to be here, in case Stacy runs into any trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is all a mistake,\u201d Peggy murmured softly, shaking her head in despair.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cA horrible, horrible mistake . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeggy, don\u2019t say that!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy NOT??!\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s TRUE!\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ve put all of you in terrible danger by coming here.\u00a0\u00a0 I know better than anyone what Brett\u2019s capable of.\u00a0\u00a0 The longer I stay\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeggy, please, listen to me\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cListen to you say WHAT, Adam?\u201d she turned on him angrily.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAre you going to tell me one more time that I\u2019m safe here . . . when the truth is I\u2019m NOT safe here? And as long as I\u2019M here, none of YOU are safe, either!\u00a0\u00a0 You know THAT, at least as well as I<\/strong> do, or you wouldn\u2019t be making a point of being down here in case Stacy runs into trouble mucking out the barn early in the morning before the rest of the family\u2019s up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, Peggy, your safety\u2019s not a hundred percent guaranteed,\u201d Adam said, his own anger and frustration rising.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut, you\u2019re still safer here than you would be anywhere else.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe I was, but I\u2019m not now!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy NOT now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause Mother and Aunt Lil know I\u2019m here!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, they have their suspicions, as I said yesterday, but they don\u2019t know for sure.\u00a0\u00a0 They never saw you, and Pa never admitted to them that you\u2019re here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll the same, they KNOW!\u00a0\u00a0 And they\u2019re going to tell Brett I\u2019m here, I know they are!\u00a0\u00a0 If they haven\u2019t already.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam remembered the brief confrontation with Aunt Lil and Laura the day before, and knew without doubt Peggy spoke true.<\/p>\n

\u201cSee?\u201d\u00a0 Peggy\u2019s tone held an accusatory note.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou can\u2019t deny it, can you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re absolutely right.\u00a0\u00a0 I can\u2019t deny it.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019m not even going to TRY,\u201d Adam said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI wish I could understand WHY.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy Mother and Aunt Lil would tell Brett where I am?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSurely THEY know what kind of man this Brett van Slyke is . . . and the harm he\u2019s done to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf COURSE they know,\u201d Peggy said bitterly.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen why ARE they so anxious to turn you over to Brett?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause my marriage to Brett van Slyke is their meal ticket.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Her words shook Adam to the very core of his being.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s true, Adam.\u00a0\u00a0 Don\u2019t tell me you haven\u2019t wondered how and why I ever got mixed up with a . . . with a MONSTER like Brett van Slyke.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d be less than honest if I said no.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYet you haven\u2019t asked me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI figured you\u2019ll tell me, when you\u2019re ready.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAunt Lil arranged the whole thing,\u201d Peggy explained.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI guess you know Mother and Will never married.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYes, I know.\u00a0\u00a0 Will wrote Pa, about a year and a half after the three of you had moved to San Francisco, telling him that he, Will that is, and your Mother decided to call off their engagement.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid Will ever tell Uncle Ben why?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u00a0\u00a0 The way Will worded things, we were left with the impression they mutually agreed to end their relationship.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy sighed and mournfully shook her head.\u00a0 \u00a0\u201cI don\u2019t know what happened between Will and Mother, either.\u00a0\u00a0 The only thing SHE ever said about their parting of ways was that things between her and Will didn\u2019t work out.\u00a0\u00a0 I asked her why, of course . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did your mother say?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was one of those grown-up things that I wouldn\u2019t understand.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTypical,\u201d Adam said with a touch of rancor.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Will came to tell me good-bye, he hugged me and told me he felt worse about leaving me than he did about leaving my mother.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ll never forget the look on his face, like someone forever haunted something they can see, but can\u2019t do anything about.\u00a0\u00a0 I didn\u2019t understand it, then, Adam, but I think I do now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou said Aunt Lil arranged your marriage to this Brett van Slyke . . . that it was some kind of meal ticket for her and your mother.\u00a0\u00a0 Why?\u00a0\u00a0 I was under the impression Lil was quite wealthy when she visited us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe spent that whole wad in less than a year, Adam,\u201d Peggy replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo matter how much she\u2019s ever had, her tastes have always been \u2018way more expensive.\u00a0\u00a0 After Will left, there SHE was poor and in debt to boot, with a grown niece who . . . who couldn\u2019t stand on her own two feet, even if someone propped her up all the way around on all sides with boards and braces, and a little girl to provide for.<\/p>\n

\u201cAunt Lil managed one of the bars down near the water front, where she seemed to be making good money.\u00a0\u00a0 Mother and I moved in with her after Will left.\u00a0\u00a0 She had a tiny apartment overtop the saloon.\u00a0\u00a0 The three of us were constantly tripping over each other.\u00a0\u00a0 Looking back, I know Aunt Lil wasn\u2019t happy with the whole arrangement.\u00a0\u00a0 She was always yelling at us . . . me for being a nuisance, always underfoot and asking so many questions . . . and poor Mother for . . . for being so useless.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hardened myself to Aunt Lil\u2019s yelling pretty early on, but Mother . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Peggy sighed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI always ended up trying to comfort Mother.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho was there to comfort YOU?\u201d<\/p>\n

A bare hint of a smile tugged at the corner of Peggy\u2019s mouth.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI got to a point where I could just block out a lot of what Aunt Lil said, but the times when I couldn\u2019t . . . I\u2019d go someplace by myself, like down to the wharf, find a place to sit down and just remember all the wonderful times you and I had before Mother and I left.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019d remember a lot of the things you told me, too, Adam, like the time I fell off Traveler.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember.\u00a0\u00a0 I told you that you were a brave little girl for getting back up in the saddle.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . wish there was some way I could have been there with you through all that,\u201d Adam said ruefully.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn a very real way, you WERE, Adam, because every time I\u2019d think and remember, it took a lot of the sting out of what Aunt Lil said.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded, unable to speak past the lump that had suddenly formed in his throat.<\/p>\n

\u201cTwo years ago, Aunt Lil told Mother and me that she was tired,\u201d Peggy resumed her story.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe wanted to get out of the saloon business and be a lady of leisure.\u00a0\u00a0 Aunt Lil told Mother and me about this rich man she knew, who wanted a wife for his son.\u00a0\u00a0 He wanted his son to marry and settle down, but couldn\u2019t find the right girl.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBrett\u2019s father?\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHorace van Slyke.\u00a0\u00a0 Aunt Lil told me that if I married Brett, Mister van Slyke would provide very generously for Mother and her.\u00a0\u00a0 I didn\u2019t want to do it, Adam.\u00a0\u00a0 Like most people, I wanted to marry for LOVE, not money!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She grimaced.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAunt Lil about hit the ceiling when I told her I wouldn\u2019t do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to answer this if you don\u2019t want to, Peggy,\u201d Adam said gently, \u201cbut, why did you change your mind?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI could have held out against Aunt Lil\u2019s yelling and screaming OR against Mother\u2019s weeping and wailing.\u00a0\u00a0 But NOT against both.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam recalled with a touch of rancor how determined and manipulative both Lil and Laura could be when they had set their minds on something.\u00a0\u00a0 When Lil came to visit Laura and Peggy, right after Frank Dayton\u2019s sudden death, she had concocted this grand and glorious scheme to make him jealous by bringing in a third party.\u00a0\u00a0 That third party was none other than his own first cousin, Will Cartwright.\u00a0\u00a0 Lil\u2019s plan unfolded smoothly, without the slightest hitch.\u00a0\u00a0 Adam had proposed marriage to Laura, as he was supposed to do.\u00a0\u00a0 Laura had gone so far as to accept.\u00a0\u00a0 The only twist in her scheme that Lil hadn\u2019t bargained for was Laura falling in love with Will Cartwright, the bait in her little trap. [iii]<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, maybe I should just go back,\u201d Peggy said sadly.<\/p>\n

\u201cBack WHERE?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo Brett!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeggy, that\u2019s crazy!\u201d Adam protested, making no effort to conceal his annoyance.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou know what he\u2019ll do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo!\u00a0\u00a0 Not right away!\u00a0\u00a0 He\u2019ll very nice to me . . . at least for a little while.\u00a0\u00a0 He\u2019ll be every bit the doting husband . . . attentive, romantic, b-bringing me candy, flowers, little gifts. \u00a0\u00a0If that can l-last until we can l-leave Placerville?\u00a0\u00a0 Well, then,\u00a0 maybe . . . once we get to San Francisco, I can appeal to m-my father-in-law\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHas your father-in-law EVER tried to help you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cN-no!\u00a0\u00a0 No, he hasn\u2019t . . . but, you can\u2019t blame him, Adam.\u00a0\u00a0 He doesn\u2019t even know how things are.\u00a0\u00a0 I never saw fit to tell him, until . . . until I miscarried for the second time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did he say?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing,\u201d Peggy said, her voice breaking, \u201cbut it\u2019s not HIS fault, exactly.\u00a0\u00a0 I made the mistake of trying to tell him with Aunt Lil there.\u00a0\u00a0 SHE convinced him that I was unbalanced . . . hysterical, because I had just lost m-my second baby.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeggy, I think deep down, Horace van Slyke\u00a0 KNOWS what kind of man Brett is,\u201d Adam said earnestly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s why he offered to provide so generously for your mother and for Lil, because he KNEW no woman from their social circles would have Brett.\u00a0\u00a0 Whether he just plain doesn\u2019t want to face up to the truth or if he has accepted the truth, and merely wants to maintain a facade of respectability, I don\u2019t know.\u00a0\u00a0 Either way, I doubt very much you can count on him for help.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, what am I going to do?\u201d<\/p>\n

The hopeless despair he heard in her voice and saw mirrored in her eyes, round and staring, wrenched Adam\u2019s heart.\u00a0 \u00a0\u201cFirst off,\u201d he began in a steady, firm tone of voice that brooked no further argument or discussion on the matter, \u201cyou\u2019re going to stay put right here, where my family and I can best protect you.\u00a0\u00a0 If it comes down to a fight, Pa not only has fifty men working for him, but he\u2019s also surrounded by neighbors on all sides who will pitch in and help, if need be.\u00a0\u00a0 Second, you\u2019re going to keep eating and make sure you get plenty of rest, like Doctor Martin said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThird, and last on the list,\u201d Adam continued, \u201cyou\u2019re going to hear what Mister Milburn has to say.\u00a0\u00a0 Pa\u2019s riding into town later, and among other things, he\u2019s going to make arrangements for his lawyer to come out here and see you.\u00a0\u00a0 He\u2019s also going to see Doctor Martin about giving testimony to back up cruelty as grounds of divorce.\u00a0\u00a0 Pa\u2019s also going to ask Doctor Martin to wire Doctor Phillips.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy nodded mutely, drawing a measure of strength and determination from Adam\u2019s words, in spite of herself.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa also asked Sheriff Coffee to wire the police department in San Francisco about the van Slyke family.\u00a0\u00a0 Any information THEY can pass on to Roy should also help establish proof of cruelty.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, when Uncle Ben goes into town today?\u00a0\u00a0 He should also ask Sheriff Coffee to wire the sheriff in Placerville,\u201d Peggy said.\u00a0\u00a0 Her chin trembled slightly, but her mouth was set in a grim, determined line.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe night before I left, Brett and I had a row to end all rows.\u00a0\u00a0 I know the sheriff was called . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

A smile tugged at the corner of Adam\u2019s mouth.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGreat minds think alike, Peggy.\u00a0\u00a0 Pa said Roy was also going to send a wire to Placerville.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the meantime, maybe you\u2019d better go out and check on Stacy,\u201d Peggy suggested, punctuating her words with a big yawn.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat might not be a bad idea,\u201d Adam agreed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWill you be alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI will NOW, Adam,\u201d she promised.<\/p>\n

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

Brett van Slyke awoke in the early hours of the morning, while it was yet dark, irritable and restless after a night of sporadic bouts of fitful sleeping.\u00a0\u00a0 He rolled over, curling his large, muscular body into a tight ball, and squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for sleep to reclaim him once more.\u00a0\u00a0 How long he lay thus, he had no idea.\u00a0\u00a0 Brett stretched, and rolled over onto his other side, then onto his back, his other side, and stomach.\u00a0\u00a0 He finally threw the sheet, his only covering, aside with an angry thrust of his arm, and sat up.<\/p>\n

Brett sat on the side of his bed, unmoving, his eyes glued to the window at his right.\u00a0\u00a0 Outside darkness gave way to the silver-gray twilight of dawn, then to the first orange-gold rays of sunrise.<\/p>\n

\u201cMeredith!\u201d Brett whispered.<\/p>\n

No answer.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Suddenly, Brett leapt to his feet with the powerful ease and strength of a cougar leaping from one rock to the next.\u00a0\u00a0 He seized the black silk robe lying across the foot of his bed and quickly slipped it over his otherwise nude body.\u00a0\u00a0 Three long, effortless giant steps brought him to the closed door of his hotel suite.\u00a0\u00a0 He opened the door and bolted out into the corridor.<\/p>\n

\u201cMEREDITH!\u00a0\u00a0 MEREDITH!\u201d he screamed at the top of his lungs.<\/p>\n

Still no answer.<\/p>\n

\u201cMEREDITH!\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

At the far end of the corridor, he spotted one of the hotel maids, stepping up to the top landing, her arms laden with clean bed linens.<\/p>\n

\u201cYOU!\u201d\u00a0 Brett shouted, pointing.<\/p>\n

Even from this great distance, he saw her freeze.\u00a0\u00a0 Her jaw dropped, and her eyes went round with horror.<\/p>\n

\u201cCOME HERE!\u201d<\/p>\n

The maid pivoted a complete one hundred and eighty degree turn, and fled back down the stairs, strewing the clean linens all over the floor in her wake.<\/p>\n

\u201cSTOP!\u00a0\u00a0 I SAID STOP!\u00a0\u00a0 COME BACK HERE!\u201d Brett shouted as he gave chase with the hem of his unbelted robe flapping behind him.<\/p>\n

Lark Meredith, clad in pajama bottoms and unbelted robe met him at the second floor landing.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cC\u2019mon, Mister van Slyke, it\u2019s early yet.\u00a0\u00a0 Let\u2019s getcha back t\u2019 bed.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He took Brett\u2019s elbow and started to steer him back toward the stairs.<\/p>\n

\u201cNO!\u201d Brett shouted, as he pulled his arm free from Lark\u2019s grip.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not sleepy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right.\u00a0\u00a0 Let\u2019s go back to your room.\u00a0\u00a0 You need to bathe, wash, and get dressed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBreakfast.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI want my pretty Peggy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s not here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere IS she?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWith friends.\u00a0\u00a0 She\u2019ll be back soon.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brett meekly allowed Lark Meredith to take his elbow once again, and steer him back over toward the stairs.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m thirsty,\u201d he said petulantly.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter I get you back to your room, I\u2019m going to ask the concierge for some hot water, so you can have a bath and wash up,\u201d Lark promised.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll also get you something to drink.\u201d<\/p>\n

After seeing his charge back to his hotel suite, Lark immediately roused Hoyt Pyle, Brett van Slyke\u2019s valet.\u00a0\u00a0 Hoyt was a large, well muscled man standing nearly six and a half feet tall, and weighing in at a bit over three hundred pounds.\u00a0\u00a0 Every bit of that mass was iron hard muscle.\u00a0\u00a0 Lark delegated to Hoyt the task of procuring the hot water, and seeing that Mister van Slyke bathed, washed, and dressed himself properly.<\/p>\n

Satisfied that Brett, for the time being, was safely in responsible hands, Lark Meredith returned to his own room.\u00a0\u00a0 He quickly splashed a couple handfuls of cold water on his face, and dressed.\u00a0\u00a0 As he stood before his dresser mirror, lathering his soap in preparation for a shave, someone knocked on his door.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYes?\u201d\u00a0 he queried with a reluctant sigh.<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Meredith, the concierge asked me to fetch you.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 It was one of the bellboys.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister Jamison wants to see you at your earliest convenience.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be right there,\u201d Lark said, laying side his cup of shaving soap and his brush.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Sir,\u201d the bell hop without mumbled.<\/p>\n

Lark ran a comb through his tangled locks and put on a fresh clean shirt.\u00a0\u00a0 A few moments later, he stood in the manager\u2019s well-appointed office, face to face with Nathan Jamison, the hotel manager.\u00a0\u00a0 Nathan Jamison was a short, thin wiry man, whose forceful personality, near obsessive perfectionism, and short, fiery temper more than compensated for any lack of physical size.\u00a0\u00a0 He stood in the center of his office, impeccably attired in a conservative dark blue three-piece suit with clean white starched shirt and tie.\u00a0\u00a0 Lark also noted, to his dismay that the man\u2019s thinning hair was neatly combed, and that he HAD shaved this morning.<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Jamison, I apologize for the disturbance this morning,\u201d Lark said, flinching away from the intensity of the smaller man\u2019s intense glare.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou have my solemn word it won\u2019t happen again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis makes the third time in the last two weeks you\u2019ve given me your solemn word it won\u2019t happen again, Mister Meredith,\u201d Nathan said with a touch of sarcasm.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve already had half a dozen guests check out earlier than they had scheduled.\u00a0\u00a0 Three others are in their rooms packing even as we speak.\u00a0\u00a0 These gentlemen ARE regular clients, or they have been up until now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSurely the patronage of the van Slyke family . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the first time ANY member of the van Slyke family has so much as set foot in Placerville for the better part of the last three or four years now,\u201d Nathan said in a tine that dripped icicles.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIn the days Horace van Slyke and his father before came here for the hunting, they stayed at that lodge of theirs outside of town.\u00a0\u00a0 The van Slykes have NEVER been clients of THIS establishment at all until, unfortunately, now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe van Slyke family is fully prepared to make whatever amends . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe only amends the van Slyke family can make at this point is to check out as soon as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lark\u2019s jaw dropped.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy staff and I have had more than enough, Mister Meredith,\u201d Nathan said firmly.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we could just stay until we locate MRS. van Slyke,\u201d Lark begged.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s probably crossed the wide Mississippi by this time and is well on her way to points east,\u201d Nathan said in a wry tone.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe is if she\u2019s smart, especially after that terrible fight she and her husband had the night before her disappearance.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve already paid you for the damages, TWICE what it\u2019ll cost to make repairs and buy new furniture.\u00a0\u00a0 What more do you want?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI want the lot of you to leave as soon as possible,\u201d Nathan snapped, \u201cand once you\u2019ve gone, I don\u2019t ever want to see your shadows darken the threshold of this establishment again, ever.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lark exhaled a short, curt sigh of exasperation.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right!\u201d\u00a0 Nathan exhaled an explosive, curt, exasperated sigh.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI am NOT an unreasonable man, Mister Meredith.\u00a0 \u00a0Therefore, in light of Mrs. van Slyke\u2019s unfortunate disappearance, I will allow Mister van Slyke\u2019s party to remain for another three days, but that is all . . . AND it goes much against my better judgment.\u201d<\/p>\n

The fierce, determined look on Nathan Jamison\u2019s face told Lark loud and clear there would be no allowances made beyond the three-day extension reluctantly granted.\u00a0\u00a0 He simply nodded curtly, then turned heel and left the manager\u2019s office without further word.\u00a0\u00a0 In passing the registration counter in the lobby, Lark paused just long enough to glance up at the clock hanging up on the wall behind.\u00a0\u00a0 The time was twenty-three minutes past the hour of seven.\u00a0\u00a0 He made himself a mental note to be at the telegraph office when it opened at nine so that he might wire the elder Mister van Slyke for instructions, then set off in the direction of the small caf\u00e9, across the street, two doors down from the saloon.<\/p>\n

After wolfing down a quick breakfast of scrambled eggs, toast, and black coffee, Lark Meredith immediately went to the Western Union office and dispatched a telegram to his employer in San Francisco that was brief and to the point:<\/p>\n

\u201cMister van Slyke [stop]<\/p>\n

Son\u2019s condition much worse [stop]\u00a0\u00a0 Must leave hotel three days [stop]\u00a0\u00a0 Mrs. van Slyke still missing [stop]\u00a0\u00a0 Will see care taker at lodge about opening [stop]\u00a0\u00a0 Please advise [stop]<\/p>\n

Your servant [stop] \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Lark Meredith [stop; end of message]\u201d<\/p>\n

Lark sternly instructed the Western Union clerk to take the reply down to the hotel and leave it with the desk clerk, adding an extra fifty-cents over and above the cost of sending the wire for the man\u2019s trouble.\u00a0\u00a0 He, then, walked the block and a half from the telegraph office to the livery stable, where he rented a horse and set out for the van Slykes\u2019 hunting lodge, located ten miles northeast of town.\u00a0\u00a0 The care taker, a name by the name of Cameron Dressler and his wife, Faith, lived in care taker\u2019s cottage, located behind the big house.<\/p>\n

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

Ben Cartwright had also risen early that morning.\u00a0\u00a0 After a light breakfast of toast and coffee, over and above the loud protests of Hop Sing, half in Chinese the other half in English, he set off toward the barn.<\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018Morning, Pa!\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben smiled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGood morning, Stacy.\u00a0\u00a0 You about finished?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJUST finished.\u00a0\u00a0 Where are YOU going so early?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have some things I need to take care of in town,\u201d Ben replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI wanted to get an early start.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou want help saddling Buck?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure.\u00a0\u00a0 The sooner I get going, the sooner I can finish up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stacy ran ahead and moved Ben\u2019s horse from his stall.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are YOUR plans for this morning?\u201d Ben asked, as he slipped on Buck\u2019s bridle.<\/p>\n

Stacy placed a clean saddle blanket over Big Buck\u2019s back.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe road\u2019s probably going to be too wet for Sun Dancer to run laps today, after all that rain earlier. so I thought I\u2019d take him out for a brisk ride . . . AFTER breakfast.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, AFTER breakfast!\u201d Ben agreed wryly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHop Sing\u2019s upset enough with ME taking off early.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stacy smiled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI know.\u00a0\u00a0 I heard.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben placed the saddle on over the blanket, then motioned for Stacy to hold the reins, while he fastened the saddle around his horse\u2019s girth.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDo me a favor?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, Pa.\u00a0\u00a0 What is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you take Sun Dancer out, ask Joe to go with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou worried about Peggy\u2019s husband, too?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cToo?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam\u2019s been getting around the time I go out to muck out the stalls since the morning I found Peggy out in the barn.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Ben admitted.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI AM a little concerned about Peggy\u2019s husband showing up.\u00a0 Stacy, I hate asking this of you . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Stacy, having a very good idea what her father was about to say next, felt her heart plummeting fast and furious toward her feet.<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . until I know more, I\u2019d appreciate it if you didn\u2019t go out riding by yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOk, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

Though Stacy took pains to keep her voice neutral, Ben could see the dismay in her eyes quite clearly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m hoping Sheriff Coffee might have some information for me today,\u201d he said by way of offering encouragement.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I guess one day won\u2019t kill me,\u201d she sighed.<\/p>\n

\u201cLook at it THIS way, Stacy.\u00a0\u00a0 Today, you and Joe have an opportunity to spend some good quality time together.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Though she sarcastically rolled her eyes, Ben saw the bare hint of a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth, too.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI should be back around dinner time,\u201d he said as he climbed up onto Buck\u2019s back.<\/p>\n

\u201cOk, Pa.\u00a0\u00a0 See you later.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben set off.\u00a0\u00a0 Overhead, the thick covering of opaque, slate gray clouds had begun breaking up.\u00a0\u00a0 Rays of sunlight shone through the holes opening in cloud covering, revealing patches of patches of bright blue sky above.\u00a0\u00a0 Buck made reasonably good time, given the wet, muddy road conditions.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben arrived at the sheriff\u2019s office shortly before nine o\u2019clock.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on in, Ben,\u201d the sheriff invited.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCoffee\u2019s over there on the stove if y\u2019 want some.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you heard anything?\u201d Ben asked, as he poured himself a mug of the sheriff\u2019s strong, black coffee.<\/p>\n

\u201cYep,\u201d Roy replied with an emphatic nod.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI got two wires \u2018 a big envelope marked special delivery from San Francisco.\u00a0\u00a0 Accordin\u2019 to the wire from the San Francisco Police Department, this Brett van Slyke you\u2019re askin\u2019 about \u2018s got NO police record.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He handed the Western Union note over to Ben.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe OTHER wire\u2019s from the Chief o\u2019 Police himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben took the wired message, sent by the Chief of Police in San Francisco, from Roy Coffee, and read it over silently:<\/p>\n

\u201cDear Sheriff Coffee [stop]<\/p>\n

Be advised [stop]<\/p>\n

Members of the van Slyke family are decent, upright, honorable, wholly moral pillars of San Francisco community and society here and have been for many years [stop].\u00a0\u00a0 My father, beginning as a small boy, worked first for Julian van Slyke, then for his son Horace.\u00a0\u00a0 [stop]<\/p>\n

We can vouch for both being fair, honest, decent, and generous employers. \u00a0[stop]<\/p>\n

Horace van Slyke paid my college tuition, without asking for repayment\u00a0 [stop]\u00a0\u00a0 During my mother\u2019s last illness, Horace van Slyke paid for doctor and medicines [stop]\u00a0\u00a0 My family will remember van Slykes\u2019 kindness and generosity though Mother did not recover [stop]<\/p>\n

Very sorry to hear about Mrs. van Slyke\u2019s disappearance [stop]<\/p>\n

Hope she is found, alive and well [stop]<\/p>\n

Let Brett van Slyke know he is in our prayers [stop]<\/p>\n

Hope this clears up any trouble or misunderstanding regarding Brett van Slyke [stop]\u00a0\u00a0 Please wire if he requires my presence in Virginia City [stop]<\/p>\n

Your servant [stop]\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben looked over at Roy after he had finished reading the lengthy communiqu\u00e9 .\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt must have cost the police chief a small fortune to send this wire,\u201d he remarked archly.<\/p>\n

\u201cGeorge at the telegraph office here in Virginia City figures it had to have cost somewhere in the neighborhood of ten dollars to send.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben whistled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou could buy stage fare to San Francisco and back for THAT.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSomethin\u2019 tells me that if the police chief couldn\u2019t afford it, this Mister Horace van Slyke . . . . . could.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI find one thing very, very interesting about the contents of this wire,\u201d Ben said slowly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhen our good friend the police chief extols the virtues of the van Slyke family, he mentions Julian and Horace, but NOT Brett.\u00a0\u00a0 In fact this wire doesn\u2019t even mention Brett except in passing, at the end of the letter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTake a gander at what\u2019s in the envelope,\u201d Roy said curtly.<\/p>\n

Ben opened it.\u00a0\u00a0 Inside, he found a half dozen articles that had been clipped from a newspaper.\u00a0\u00a0 At the top of each article, a date was noted, presumably the date it had appeared in the paper.\u00a0\u00a0 The earliest date was two and a half months ago, and the most recent was dated a scant three weeks ago.\u00a0\u00a0 A note, short, terse, and to the point accompanied the articles:<\/p>\n

\u201cBen\u2014<\/p>\n

According to reliable sources, an old friend of yours may be in serious danger.\u00a0\u00a0 You will find her in Placerville or at the van Slyke hunting lodge, ten miles outside of town.\u00a0\u00a0 See enclosed.<\/p>\n

This is one I owe you for asking your friend to set me up here as a reporter.<\/p>\n

Sincerely, \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Horace Banning [iv], \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Reporter for the San Francisco Tribune.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben glanced over the enclosed articles.\u00a0\u00a0 The one marked with the earliest date stated that the body of a barmaid named Rosemary O\u2019Malley had apparently turned up in San Francisco, by the wharfs floating face down in the water.\u00a0\u00a0 She had been missing for two weeks prior to the date, noted on top of the article.\u00a0\u00a0 Her body was covered with numerous cuts, bruises, and scar tissue from grievous wounds healed over, all neatly hidden under her clothing.<\/p>\n

The post mortem examination revealed massive amounts of blood surrounding her heart, and in her lungs, stomach, and intestines, all evidence of massive internal injury.\u00a0\u00a0 The most interesting finding was the absence of salt water in her lungs, evidence that the woman was dead before her body was thrown into the water.\u00a0\u00a0 Most of her ribs and her pelvis were fractured, and the lower bones in both legs were shattered while the woman was still alive.<\/p>\n

Ben\u00a0 closed his eyes for a moment, sickened by the image of a young woman thus disabled, unable even to flee.\u00a0\u00a0 All she could do was lie there helpless while her assailant tortured her to death.<\/p>\n

He took a deep, ragged breath and forced himself to continue reading.\u00a0\u00a0 Brett van Slyke was named as a frequent customer in the saloon where Rosemary O\u2019Malley had worked.\u00a0\u00a0 According to witness accounts, Brett had been keeping close company with her for nearly a year prior to her disappearance.\u00a0\u00a0 She was also last seen leaving the saloon in his company.<\/p>\n

Ben, his senses reeling from the horrific facts given in the first article, turned his attention to the second, dated one week later.\u00a0\u00a0 It recapped much of the information given in the first.\u00a0\u00a0 The additions included an eyewitness account of Brett van Slyke going on a violent rampage two months before Miss O\u2019Malley\u2019s disappearance.\u00a0\u00a0 According to the witness, name not given, Brett had seen her in the company of another man.\u00a0\u00a0 He and Miss O\u2019Malley\u2019s companion argued.\u00a0 The other man swung at Brett, but missed.\u00a0\u00a0 Brett retaliated by hitting the other man repeatedly with a solid wood cane, carved from dark ebony.\u00a0\u00a0 Other men, patrons, bartender, and bouncers all rushed in immediately to separate Brett and the other man, but the damage had been done.\u00a0\u00a0 The other man died of his injuries a week and a half later, without regaining consciousness.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t believe this!\u201d Ben murmured, shaking his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI just plain and simply don\u2019t believe this!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it, Ben?\u201d Roy asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cBrett van Slyke beats a man to death in a saloon . . . in front of witnesses, and no charges are even filed?!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Ben looked over at Roy, dumbfounded.<\/p>\n

\u201cMoney talks, Ben.\u00a0\u00a0 You know that as well as I do,\u201d Roy said grimly, \u201cand it seems the van Slykes have enough to do a whole lotta talkin\u2019!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot to mention a police chief who\u2019s grateful!\u201d Ben added curtly.<\/p>\n

Ben returned his attention to the remainder of the article.\u00a0\u00a0 One eyewitness, another barmaid who adamantly insisted on her name not being given, said that Rosemary spoke to her of being deathly afraid of Brett van Slyke and what he could do.\u00a0\u00a0 Other accounts told of Brett either threatening or beating up other customers, he thought were trying to move in on Miss O\u2019Malley.<\/p>\n

The next two articles, the first dated two weeks after the second and the other one week after that, were repeats of the information given in the first article, omitting any and all mention of Brett van Slyke.<\/p>\n

The fifth article, dated two weeks after the fourth stated that a hearing had been held regarding the nature of Rosemary O\u2019Malley\u2019s demise.\u00a0\u00a0 The presiding judge ruled her death a \u201cprobable suicide,\u201d based on a new piece of evidence, a note allegedly written by Miss O\u2019Malley, that had suddenly come to light.\u00a0\u00a0 In her note, she had confessed her ardent passion for Brett van Slyke.\u00a0\u00a0 Unable to face living without him, she had opted to drown herself.\u00a0\u00a0 The note was dated the night before her disappearance, and signed.\u00a0\u00a0 Allegations from several anonymous witnesses that Miss O\u2019Malley was illiterate immediately followed.<\/p>\n

Horace van Slyke was quoted, expressing \u201cdeep, profound regret\u201d over his son\u2019s \u201cunfortunate indiscretion,\u201d and sorrow \u201cover the tragic turn of events that ended with that pitiable woman taking her own life.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He had also said that his son was \u201cexceedingly sorrowful for having strayed from his vows of marriage,\u201d and felt \u201ca great, abiding remorse having wounded his loving wife so cruelly and so deeply,\u201d and for \u201cthe tragedy of that young woman\u2019s unfortunate suicide.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 The article ended up by saying that Mister and Mrs. Brett van Slyke had gone into seclusion to \u201ceffect a reconciliation to their marriage.\u201d<\/p>\n

As horrific as all the information gleaned from the first five articles had been, it was the final line in the last article, added as a mere afterthought, that really left Ben shaken to the very core of his being.\u00a0\u00a0 Rosemary O\u2019Malley, like Peggy, was pregnant at the time of her death.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI . . . w-wanted to know what I\u2019m up against,\u201d he murmured softly, \u201cnow . . . now I know.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roy quietly placed a firm hand on Ben\u2019s shoulder, offering a measure of reassurance and support.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI know how ya feel, Ben.\u00a0\u00a0 I must\u2019ve had the exact same look on MY face after I got through readin\u2019 them newspaper articles.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRoy, have you heard anything from the sheriff in Placerville?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou mind if I take these with me?\u201d Ben asked, holding up the envelopes containing the letter from the police chief in San Francisco and the newspaper articles from anonymous.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d like Adam, Teresa, Hoss, and Joe to read them over.\u00a0\u00a0 After that, I\u2019ll turn them over to Lucas for safe keeping.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure,\u201d Roy agreed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThey\u2019re addressed to YOU.\u00a0\u00a0 That makes \u2018em yours as far as I\u2019M concerned.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow about Stacy, Ben?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat ABOUT Stacy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cY\u2019 gotta tell her something.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry, Roy, I\u2019m going to tell her what\u2019s going on,\u201d Ben said soberly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWith the very real possibility of Brett van Slyke eventually coming out to the Ponderosa looking for Peggy, I HAVE to.\u00a0\u00a0 But, I\u2019m perfectly able to impress upon her how dangerous and violent that man is . . . without her reading all these lurid details.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBen?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Roy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI want ya t\u2019 know I\u2019ll give ya what help I can,\u201d Roy said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cProblem is, there ain\u2019t much I c\u2019n do, seein\u2019 as t\u2019 how OFFICIALLY, this Brett van Slyke ain\u2019t even got a criminal record.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI understand, Roy.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cMister Meredith, it\u2019s been a little while!\u201d Cameron Dressler greeted Lark Meredith with a warm smile.\u00a0\u00a0 He stood aside and gestured for Lark to enter, with a grand sweep of his arm.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPlease come in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cameron Dressler and his wife, Faith, had been the caretakers of the van Slykes\u2019 Placerville lodge for nearly a decade.\u00a0\u00a0 Cameron\u2019s duties included the general upkeep of the grounds, and seeing to all of the needed repair and maintenance work.\u00a0\u00a0 Being a skilled carpenter and general all round handyman, he handled virtually all of the work himself.<\/p>\n

Faith Dressler was in charge of housekeeping.\u00a0\u00a0 For the past three years, she had kept the van Slykes\u2019 hunting lodge ready to receive guests at a moment\u2019s notice.\u00a0\u00a0 At the beginning of the year, however, she had been dropped from the payroll.\u00a0\u00a0 Faith received a glowing letter from Horace van Slyke himself, thanking her for her loyalty, dedication, and hard work in the first paragraph, smoothly traversing into the second which informed her that her housekeeping services would no longer be required due to \u201cthe lengthy illness plaguing me day and night without let up, with no foreseeable end in sight.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 A fifty dollar bonus was included with the letter.<\/p>\n

Lark stepped across the threshold, into a large, well lit great room.<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Meredith, what a pleasant surprise!\u00a0\u00a0 Please, come in and sit down,\u201d Faith invited as she rose from her place at the small dining room table, located on the opposite side of the room, next to the kitchen door.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCameron and I were just finishing our breakfast, but I can fix you something, if you\u2019d like.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lark politely removed his hat and shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI had breakfast in town,\u201d he replied, \u201cbut, I would like a cup of coffee, if you have any.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have plenty,\u201d Faith said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSit!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 With that, she turned heel and flounced off into the kitchen.\u00a0\u00a0 She returned a few minutes later with the coffee pot in one hand and a large mug in the other.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYour coffee, Sir,\u201d she said, placing the mug, filled nearly to the brim down on the table before him.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCream and sugar?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo thank you, Mrs. Dressler.\u00a0\u00a0 I take it black these days.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have some cleaning up to do upstairs,\u201d Faith said as she deftly removed her breakfast dishes from the table.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSo I\u2019m going to have at it, and let you gentlemen discuss your business.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lark rose to his feet politely.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGood seeing you again, Ma\u2019am.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He took a large gulp from his mug, then turned his attention to the caretaker, seated across from him at the head of the table.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHow long would it take to get this lodge in shape for human habitation?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis house hasn\u2019t been cleaned at all since Faith . . . Mrs. Dressler . . . was let go,\u201d Cameron said slowly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIs Mister Horace planning a trip out here, sometime soon?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, the elder Mister van Slyke is quite ill, I\u2019m afraid.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cameron\u2019s face fell.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m so sorry to hear that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . and right now, he has his hands full trying to set to rights some unsavory business the younger Mister van Slyke had the misfortune of being caught up in.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow is Mister Brett these days?\u00a0\u00a0 Is HE any better?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNope.\u00a0\u00a0 He\u2019s worse, and growing more so by the day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cameron shook his head dolefully.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShame, that.\u00a0\u00a0 Between you and me?\u00a0\u00a0 Seems like it might\u2019ve been lots better all the way around if Mister Brett . . . well, if he HADN\u2019T regained consciousness after that last accident.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . can\u2019t say I disagree with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs . . . is Mister Brett coming here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has to,\u201d Lark said grimly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s, unfortunately, created quite a stir at the hotel in town.\u00a0\u00a0 The manager\u2019s ordered us to vacate in three days.\u00a0\u00a0 I . . . I haven\u2019t heard from Mister van Slyke as to whether or not it\u2019s alright for Mister Brett to return home to San Francisco, nor do I expect to, not in the next three days.\u00a0\u00a0 Is there anyway you and Mrs. Dressler can have this place ready by then?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood heavens!\u00a0\u00a0 Three days?\u201d<\/p>\n

Lark nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Meredith, it\u2019ll take Faith \u2018n me three days just to hire enough extra help to get this place back into ship shape,\u201d Cameron said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThis house has not had a proper cleaning since my wife\u2019s dismissal at the beginning of the year.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow about just the second floor . . . where the family living area is?\u201d Lark pressed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI think we can adequately confine Mister Brett to the guest room on that floor, if need be.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cConfine?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cameron whistled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister Brett has . . . deteriorated that much?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid so.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll need to replace the lock on the second floor master bedroom . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . and find bars for the windows.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about MRS. van Slyke?\u00a0\u00a0 Did SHE accompany Mister Brett here from San Francisco?\u201d<\/p>\n

Lark nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSHE\u2019S gone missing, however\u201d he said gravely.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTook off right in the middle of that big birthday bash Mister Brett threw for himself a few nights ago.\u00a0\u00a0 She told her aunt that she had return to her room for something, she\u2019d be right back.\u00a0\u00a0 She never came back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBetwixt you \u2018n me, I can\u2019t say as I blame her.\u00a0\u00a0 Any idea where she\u2019s gone?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNone.\u00a0\u00a0 Got Jake checkin\u2019 out a lead named Cartwright . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBEN Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

Yeah,\u201d Lark said quickly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYOU know \u2018im?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know OF him,\u201d Cameron said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMost folks \u2018round here know about Ben Cartwright \u2018n that Ponderosa spread o\u2019 his.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He frowned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou figure Mrs. van Slyke\u2019s gone THERE?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were friends once.\u00a0\u00a0 Her mother was engaged to Mister Cartwright\u2019s oldest boy for a little while.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHm!\u00a0\u00a0 Small world!\u201d<\/p>\n

Lark finished the last of his coffee and set the empty mug down on the table.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister Cameron, you didn\u2019t answer my question.\u00a0\u00a0 Can you get the second floor ready in three days?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFaith and I will do what we can.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will see that she\u2019s paid, of course.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf it\u2019s all the same to YOU, Mister Meredith, I don\u2019t want Faith\u2019s wages to be in the form of MONEY.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI want a one way ticket, on the ten o\u2019clock stage to Carson City, day after tomorrow,\u201d Cameron said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s been wanting to visit her sister there for quite awhile.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ve just decided that NOW\u2019S the time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI WAS counting on her to cook our meals.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019LL see to our meals,\u201d Cameron said in a stern tone, that brooked no argument.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGranted my skills in the kitchen pale in comparison to my wife\u2019s, but they\u2019ll have to do.\u00a0\u00a0 I will NOT, under any circumstances, have Faith anywhere near this place, while Mister Brett is here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI promise you, your wife will be perfectly safe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Meredith, Faith has a friend, who lives with her husband and family in San Francisco,\u201d Cameron said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThey went to school together, and now they write each other at least once a week.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He paused, and looked Lark Meredith straight in the eye, boldly, without flinching.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister Meredith, we know all about that poor, unfortunate Miss O\u2019Malley.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see,\u201d\u00a0 Lark sighed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAll right, Mister Dressler.\u00a0\u00a0 I will send your wife\u2019s stage ticket tomorrow morning by messenger.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cBen, I\u2019ll be more than happy to provide an affidavit regarding Mrs. Van Slyke\u2019s physical condition,\u201d Paul Martin agreed with a dark scowl.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe sooner she\u2019s away from that . . . that creature she\u2019s married to . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPaul, you don\u2019t even know the HALF of it,\u201d Ben said grimly.\u00a0\u00a0 He gave the doctor a capsulated version of the information gleaned from the newspaper clippings sent by his old friend in San Francisco.<\/p>\n

Paul blanched.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c . . . and I thought I\u2019D seen it all,\u201d he murmured, stunned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPeggy\u2019s lucky to have escaped with her life.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUnfortunately, we\u2019re far from out of the woods, but Adam and I are determined to see that Peggy, and her unborn child, remain safely out of her husband\u2019s clutches.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf it\u2019s alright with Lucas, I\u2019ll stop by his office later on this afternoon.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Paul,\u201d Ben said gratefully.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI need one other favor from you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, Ben, you name it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben explained the need for more testimony to back up Peggy\u2019s petition for divorce on the grounds of cruelty, as Lucas Milburn had told him two days before.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI need you to send a wire to Doctor Forsythe Phillips in San Francisco.\u00a0\u00a0 She was seeing him before she left San Francisco.\u00a0\u00a0 He was also her doctor when she miscarried her second baby because of Brett\u2019s violence.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll make inquiries under the dictum of \u2018professional consultation and courtesy,\u2019 \u201d Paul said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBen?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Paul?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019s Peggy doing?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHer appetite\u2019s picked up, much to Hop Sing\u2019s delight,\u201d Ben said with a smile, \u201cand she\u2019s anxious to be up and around.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood!\u201d Paul heartily approved.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJust make sure she\u2019s doesn\u2019t overly tire herself.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ll be out at the end of the week to check up on her, Ben, if that\u2019s ok.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s fine,\u201d Ben agreed.<\/p>\n

\u201cHopefully, by then, I\u2019ll have heard from this Doctor Phillips.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thanks to Buck, Ben reached Lucas Milburn\u2019s office a few minutes after leaving the doctor.\u00a0\u00a0 He paused, as he looped the reins of his horse around the hitching post, unable to shake the uneasy feeling he was being closely watched.\u00a0\u00a0 He turned, casting a quick glance over his shoulder.\u00a0\u00a0 He saw nothing unusual in the buggies, the buckboards, riders on horses, and pedestrians moving along the street.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I don\u2019t watch myself, Old Friend, I\u2019m gonna start seeing villains, thieves, and scoundrels lurking under every rock and behind every tree,\u201d Ben addressed his remarks to Buck with a rueful smile.\u00a0\u00a0 He reached up and patted the big palomino\u2019s neck affectionately.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI won\u2019t be long . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cSo THAT\u2019S Ben Cartwright!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s right, Mister Gormsley!\u201d<\/p>\n

Jake Gormsley laughed mirthlessly and shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 Aged in his late thirties, he was a man of average height, slender, with thinning brown hair, generously laced with strands of gray.\u00a0\u00a0 He wore a clean off white shirt, with long sleeves rolled to the elbow, a pair of brown pants, and boots that were well worn, yet still in one piece.\u00a0\u00a0 He stood across the street from Lucas Milburn\u2019s office watching as Ben Cartwright left his horse and walked inside.\u00a0\u00a0 Lil Manfred and Laura Dayton were with him.\u00a0\u00a0 All three kept themselves well inside the shadows cast by the buildings on their side of the street.<\/p>\n

Lil turned and favored Jake with a withering glare.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWould you mind telling me what\u2019s so funny?\u201d she demanded with arms folded tight across her ample bosom.<\/p>\n

\u201cGotta hand it to the pair o\u2019 you!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Jake said, shaking his head in wonder.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI mean the girl\u2019s your niece, Mrs. Manfred, and . . . she\u2019s Mrs. Dayton\u2019s DAUGHTER.\u00a0\u00a0 Yet here you are, willing and eager to hand that poor gal over to the likes of Brett van Slyke.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ve known some real hard hearted dames in my day, Ladies, but you two top \u2018em all.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laura gasped, horrified.<\/p>\n

\u201cSpare me your moralizing, Mister Gormsley,\u201d Lil growled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re in this for the money, just like WE are.\u00a0 The only difference is Mrs. Dayton and I don\u2019t have the wide range of choices you do, when it comes to how we make our money.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTrue!\u00a0\u00a0 That\u2019s very true!\u00a0 There\u2019s all KINDS o\u2019 choices out there for the man what likes hard work \u2018n low wages,\u201d Jake replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cUnfortunately, that limits MY options, too, seein\u2019 as how I like high wages and a nice cushy job.\u00a0\u00a0 Workin\u2019 for the van Slykes, I got both.\u00a0\u00a0 They pay me handsomely to just watch and observe, and on occasion, ACT at my discretion.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat, pray tell, have you been watching and observing?\u201d Lil demanded.<\/p>\n

Jake smiled malevolently.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou, Mrs. Manfred.\u00a0\u00a0 You and Mrs. Dayton to see if you\u2019d lead me to Mrs. van Slyke.\u00a0\u00a0 Now that you have in a manner o\u2019 speakin\u2019, I<\/strong> can take over from here.\u00a0\u00a0 The two of you are gonna pack your things and head on back to Placerville.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh no we\u2019re not!\u201d Lil said complacently.<\/p>\n

Jake scowled, sending a chill running down the entire length of Laura\u2019s spine.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLook!\u00a0\u00a0 Things are dicey enough all the way around without a couple o\u2019 schemin\u2019 dames gettin\u2019 in my way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have absolutely no intention of getting in your way, Mister Gormsley,\u201d Lil said, using the same insultingly condescending tone she used when trying to explain something to Laura.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou do what you have to do, we won\u2019t interfere.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDamn sight better not!\u201d Jake growled.<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, Mrs. Dayton and I are staying right here in Virginia City, until Mrs. van Slyke is found.\u00a0\u00a0 After all, she and I have a much larger stake in all this than you do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yeah?\u00a0\u00a0 Exactly how large a stake are you talkin\u2019 about, Mrs. Manfred.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOur survival . . . Mrs. Dayton\u2019s and mine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor a pair o\u2019 survivors, you two sure live high on the hog,\u201d Jake said with a sardonic chuckle.<\/p>\n

\u201cNOW what\u2019s so funny?\u201d Lil demanded indignantly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll bet, if you went into some of the deep jungles along the Amazon and watched some of the rituals of human sacrifice \u2018n cannibalism, you\u2019d be appalled.\u00a0\u00a0 You\u2019d think it very uncivilized.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laura blanched.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cH-how horrible!\u201d she gasped.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all in how ya look at it, Mrs. Dayton.\u00a0\u00a0 To those Amazon natives, cannibalism\u2019s a very sacred ritual.\u00a0\u00a0 The idea is to acquire all the things about your enemies that you admire, like his strength, his cunning, his intelligence.\u00a0\u00a0 So ya gotta pick your human sacrifice very, very carefully.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour point, Mister Gormsley?\u201d Lil snapped.<\/p>\n

A malicious smile oozed it\u2019s way slowly across the lower portion of Jake\u2019s clean shaven face.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMy point is THIS, Mrs. Manfred.\u00a0\u00a0 Your willingness to turn that young niece o\u2019 yours over to Brett van Slyke makes you \u2018n Mrs. Dayton here no better \u2018n those savage, uncivilized cannibals living down in the Amazon jungles.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo!\u201d\u00a0 Laura protested.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo!\u00a0\u00a0 That\u2019s not true!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, it is, Mrs. Dayton.\u00a0\u00a0 Your daughter\u2019s just as much a human sacrifice as the people those cannibals boil in pots, and the pair o\u2019 you . . . well, you ain\u2019t fit to shine the boots of the folks who cook \u2018em for dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Upon returning to the hotel back in Placerville, Lark Meredith found a message waiting for him.\u00a0\u00a0 It was not the one he expected from San Francisco, rather it was from Jake Gormsley in Virginia City:<\/p>\n

\u201cMother and Aunt here [stop]\u00a0\u00a0 Wife probably at Ponderosa [stop]\u00a0\u00a0 Still unsure [stop]\u00a0\u00a0 Send instructions [stop]<\/p>\n

J Gormsley [stop, end of message]<\/p>\n

Lark felt a measure of relief upon learning that Mrs. van Slyke\u2019s mother and aunt were in Virginia City, out of his hair.\u00a0\u00a0 Jake probably wasn\u2019t very happy with that situation, however . . . .<\/p>\n

\u201cWho the hell CARES whether Jake\u2019s happy or not!\u00a0\u00a0 For now they\u2019re HIS problem!\u201d Lark muttered under his breath as he crumpled the message into a tight ball and stuffed it in his pocket.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI got plenty enough of my own!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He set off in search of the hotel manager.<\/p>\n

Nathan Jamison was in the lobby speaking to two customers, a man and woman, both young, and fresh faced.\u00a0\u00a0 The woman kept her face buried in her hands, while the man, standing with his arms folded tightly across his chest, his own face beet red, spoke with the manager.<\/p>\n

Lark watched . . . and waited.<\/p>\n

The young man grew more animated, his movements and gestures more sharply defined.\u00a0\u00a0 Nathan occasionally addressed himself to the young woman, receiving a nod or shake of the head in reply.\u00a0\u00a0 Once or twice, the men\u2019s voices were raised, though Lark heard none of their words clearly.<\/p>\n

As the conversation between the manager and the young couple dragged on, Lark began to pace, pausing to glance over at the clock hanging on the wall behind the registration counter.\u00a0\u00a0 He counted to ten very slowly, forcing himself to take deep, even breaths between numbers.\u00a0\u00a0 When, at long last, the man and woman moved off, Lark bounded across the lobby after Nathan, who had turned and started back to his own office.<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Jamison . . . please!\u00a0\u00a0 A moment, if I may?\u201d<\/p>\n

Nathan stopped and turned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYes, Mister Meredith?\u201d<\/p>\n

He assured the hotel manager that he had wired Mister van Slyke\u2019s father in San Francisco, appraising him of his son\u2019s condition.\u00a0\u00a0 Though he had not yet heard from the elder Mister van Slyke, he expected to before day\u2019s end.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI also rode over to the lodge to see Mister Dressler, the caretaker.\u00a0\u00a0 He assures my that he and his wife will to all they can to ready the second floor of the house\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWHY are you telling me this, Mister Meredith?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Nathan\u2019s voice dripped with icicles.<\/p>\n

\u201cI need more time, Mister Jamison.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMore time for what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo remain HERE.\u00a0\u00a0 \u2018Til the end of the week.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOut of the question!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease, Mister Jamison!\u00a0\u00a0 The Dresslers can\u2019t possibly have everything done in three days . . . Please!\u00a0\u00a0 Just let us stay until the end of the week.\u00a0\u00a0 That\u2019s all I ask.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Meredith, that young couple I was speaking to when you came in?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah?\u00a0\u00a0 What about \u2018em?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell it seems Mister van Slyke escaped his gargantuan keeper about an hour after you left this morning, and attacked the woman.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lark\u2019s heart plummeted to his feet.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOh no . . . . \u201d he murmured softly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid SO.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease, Mister Jamison, I\u2019m doing everything I can to get him out of here, but I need more time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMister van Slyke is NOT staying here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have no where to take him!\u201d Lark said tersely, finally giving vent to the frustration growing within him.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo be honestly frank, I don\u2019t care,\u201d Nathan said firmly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThree of our maids quit because they plain and simply got tired of Mister van Slyke chasing them, and making indecent propositions.\u00a0\u00a0 None of them will venture up to the third floor, I have a bellhop home recovering from injuries inflicted on him by Mister van Slyke during one of his rages, and now he\u2019s attacked a young woman on her honeymoon.\u00a0\u00a0 Mister Meredith, I have had quite enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI told you, the ELDER Mister van Slyke is prepared to make amends . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cInstead of making amends everywhere his son goes, perhaps the elder Mister van Slyke should look into having his son committed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you have any idea what those so called sanitariums are LIKE, on the inside, Mister Jamison?\u201d Lark demanded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPeople tied to their beds, or chained to the walls, left alone to babble and . . . and to wallow in their own filth . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Nathan lapsed into a stunned, brooding silence for a long moment.\u00a0\u00a0 At length, he sighed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThen perhaps the elder Mister van Slyke should lock him up in the attic at home,\u201d he said through clenched teeth.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIn any case, the YOUNGER Mister van Slyke is dangerously and violently insane.\u00a0\u00a0 For the safety of everyone else around him, he should be locked up tight . . . somewhere . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019 trying to do just THAT over at the lodge, Mister Jamison., but\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThree days, Mister Meredith.\u00a0\u00a0 Not one second longer.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cWell, Teresa?\u00a0\u00a0 What do you think?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Peggy stepped from the darkened hallway into the light at the top of the stairs.<\/p>\n

Teresa, standing at the foot of the stairs looking up, groaned inwardly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPeggy, I think YOU look lovely,\u201d she said in all sincerity.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe outfit . . . well, it\u2019ll do until Mrs. Pomeroy can get a few things made.\u201d<\/p>\n

The shirt, white and slightly worn at the collar and cuffs, belonged to Hoss.\u00a0\u00a0 It hung on Peggy like a tunic, reaching to mid-calf.\u00a0\u00a0 On her feet, she wore a pair of striped socks, borrowed from Joe, and a pair of moccasins, that belonged to Stacy.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, Stacy, bless her heart, had gone up to\u00a0 the attic, after finishing her chores in the barn, and rooted through boxes and trunks of old clothes.\u00a0\u00a0 She finally unearthed an old pair of black pants that once belonged to Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m so glad I\u2019m finally able to take off my pajamas and get dressed, I feel like an absolute fashion plate,\u201d Peggy declared as she trotted happily down the stairs.\u00a0\u00a0 She had spent the last hour bathing and finally setting to rights the tangle her hair had become.\u00a0\u00a0 Now, after a vigorous, thorough wash and a ferocious battle with comb and brush, her shining, smooth golden tresses hung loosely about her shoulders.<\/p>\n

\u201cTeresa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Peggy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you reading?\u201d Peggy asked, noticing the book tucked under Teresa\u2019s arm for the first time.<\/p>\n

Teresa handed the book to Peggy, as the two of them made their way over to the settee.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Life of Charlotte Bronte,\u201d Peggy read the title aloud slowly, \u201cby Elizabeth Gaskell.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCharlotte Bronte and her sisters were\u00a0 writers,\u201d Teresa replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI read her novel Jane Eyre a couple of years ago, and another novel by her sister, ANNE Bronte called\u00a0 The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.\u00a0\u00a0 I enjoyed reading the stories so much, I wanted to know more about the women who wrote them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are Jane Eyre and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall about?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJane Eyre is about a young woman, who was orphaned as a child and raised by an aunt who didn\u2019t want her,\u201d Teresa replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s sent off to a harsh boarding school, and eventually takes a job as governess to a French girl living in a mansion out on the English moors in the middle of no where.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSounds mysterious,\u201d Peggy remarked with a smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cJane Eyre IS dark, mysterious, and brooding.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat of the other?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Tenant of Wildfell Hall is the story of a woman,\u00a0 who leaves a bad marriage to an abusive, alcoholic husband.\u00a0\u00a0 She and her son rent Wildfell Hall,\u201d Teresa said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe story\u2019s told through the eyes of a neighbor, who falls in love with her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSounds like she\u2019s in the same predicament I<\/strong> am.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere ARE similarities, but there\u2019s differences, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe . . . after my problems with Brett are behind me . . . maybe I can go to the library and see if they have a copy of The Tenant of Wildfell Hall,\u201d Peggy mused as she and Teresa sat down on the settee.<\/p>\n

Teresa looked over at Peggy and smiled. \u00a0\u00a0\u201cYou won\u2019t have to wait that long, Peggy.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ve been wanting to read The Tenant of Wildfell Hall again, so I brought that one along with me.\u00a0\u00a0 If you\u2019d like, I\u2019d be more than happy to run up and fetch it down for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy rose.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cStay put, Teresa. \u00a0\u00a0It feels so good to be up and around . . . I\u2019ll get it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s in Adam\u2019s old room on the book case, top shelf.\u00a0\u00a0 But, the author\u2019s name on the bonding will be ACTON\u00a0 BELL.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cActon Bell . . . Acton Bell . . . Acton Bell,\u201d Peggy repeated the name as she sauntered back toward the stairs.<\/p>\n

Adam entered the house a few moments later, his posture stiffly erect, and limping.\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss followed close behind, grinning from ear to ear.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d\u00a0 Teresa gazed over at her husband anxiously, as she rose from her place on the settee.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing serious, Sweetheart.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Adam\u2019s smile, meant to reassure, seemed forced.<\/p>\n

Teresa turned and favored her big brother-in-law with a withering glare.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cEric Hoss Cartwright, if\u2019s he\u2019s been hurt . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss tried valiantly to wipe the smile off his face.\u00a0\u00a0 His success in that endeavor was negligible at best.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNot to worry, Teresa, just a few stiff muscles.\u00a0\u00a0 Ain\u2019t nothin\u2019 a good rub down with some o\u2019 Hop Sing\u2019s ointment can\u2019t cure.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s comically grotesque grimace at his younger brother\u2019s mention of Hop Sing\u2019s ointment, brought a smile to Teresa\u2019s face.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll go ask Hop Sing for that ointment right now,\u201d she said briskly.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no hurry,\u201d Adam said very quickly.<\/p>\n

\u201cBest we get you rubbed down sooner rather than later, Adam,\u201d Teresa countered in her best mother and nurse tone of voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s right about that, Adam,\u201d Hoss agreed whole-heartedly.<\/p>\n

Adam groaned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhere\u2019s Peggy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe went upstairs to borrow one of my books,\u201d Teresa replied, as she made her way out toward the kitchen.<\/p>\n

\u201cSomeone mention my name?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss and Adam turned toward the stairs and saw Peggy standing at the bottom of the stairs, with book in hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wondered where that shirt o\u2019 mine got off to,\u201d Hoss mused aloud.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope you don\u2019t mind,\u201d Peggy said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI just had to get dressed . . . such as it is.\u00a0\u00a0 I couldn\u2019t stand the thought of spending another entire day lying around in Teresa\u2019s nightgown.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo what are you getting ready to read?\u201d Adam asked, as Peggy seated herself in the blue easy chair beside the fireplace.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Tenant of Wildfell Hall,\u201d Peggy replied, holding up the book so Adam could see the cover.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTeresa was telling me a little bit about it just now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Teresa returned to the living room, with Hop Sing following.\u00a0\u00a0 The latter carried a small bowl half filled with a thick noxious looking brownish gray-green mixture that looked to be a hybrid cross between a thick oil and a thin, runny cream.\u00a0\u00a0 The only thing worse than its appearance was its aroma.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome, Mister Adam.\u00a0\u00a0 Hop Sing fix you up good!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what I\u2019m deathly afraid of,\u201d Adam said with a grimace.\u00a0 \u201cMay as well get it over with.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He rose stiffly from his place on the settee, pausing briefly to cast a filthy, withering glare in the direction of his wife and younger, bigger brother.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThere WILL be repercussions,\u201d he growled.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs that a threat?\u201d Teresa countered lightly, with a smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, that\u2019s a promise.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 With that, Adam turned slowly and walked toward the stairs.<\/p>\n

Hop Sing silently followed.\u00a0\u00a0 A smug, cat-that-ate-the-canary grin slowly spread across his lips.<\/p>\n

\u201cTeresa, is Pa back from town yet?\u201d Hoss asked, as he settled himself into the red easy chair.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss frowned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHow \u2018bout Joe \u2018n Stacy?\u00a0\u00a0 The road was too wet this mornin\u2019 for Sun Dancer to be out racin\u2019, but they wanted to get him out \u2018n exercise him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Teresa shook her head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJoe and Stacy aren\u2019t back yet, either.\u00a0\u00a0 In fact, I was getting ready to ask if YOU might\u2019ve seen them or Ben on YOUR way in,\u201d Teresa said.\u00a0\u00a0 An anxious frown creased the smooth surface of her brow.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m getting a little concerned.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure everything\u2019s alright,\u201d Hoss said with far more confidence than he felt.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThey oughtta along any time now.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s pert near dinner time, an\u2019 for all they tease ME, I can\u2019t say I\u2019ve ever known Pa or my li\u2019l brother t\u2019 ever miss a meal either.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid I just hear my name taken in vain?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 It was Joe, stepping through the front door.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s Stacy?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s out in the barn with Pa, tending the horses,\u201d Joe said quietly as he placed his hat on the wall rack and removed his gun belt.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe met him out on the road on our way back.\u00a0\u00a0 Where\u2019s Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s upstairs gettin\u2019 a good rubdown with Hop Sing\u2019s muscle ointment,\u201d Hoss said with a smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m afraid our older brother just found out the hard way how many years it\u2019s been since he last did any bronco bustin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe laughed unable to quite contain himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph Francis Cartwright, didn\u2019t anyone ever tell you that it\u2019s not nice to laugh at others\u2019 misfortune, even if he IS your oldest brother?\u201d\u00a0 Teresa admonished her young brother-in-law with mock severity.<\/p>\n

\u201cS-Sorry, Teresa!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Joe managed to rein in his laughter, but the smile remained.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPa gave me a couple of envelopes and told me to pass \u2018em on to Adam.\u00a0\u00a0 They\u2019re from Sheriff Coffee.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be more than happy to take them up,\u201d Teresa offered.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Teresa!\u201d Joe said, handing her the envelopes.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s sure takin\u2019 Pa \u2018n Stacy long enough to unsaddle those horses,\u201d Hoss observed with a frown.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa wanted to talk to her about something,\u201d Joe said, his mirth fading.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s about Brett isn\u2019t it?\u201d Peggy said apprehensively.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe didn\u2019t tell me what he wanted to talk with Stacy about, Peggy, but you\u2019re probably right,\u201d Joe said quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid . . . did Uncle Ben tell you what he f-found out today?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, but judging from the look on his face . . . I don\u2019t think the news is gonna be good.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Smiling, Teresa paused outside the closed door to the bedroom she and Adam shared, and knocked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho is it?\u201d Adam responded in that weary, long-suffering tone he generally reserved when asking for details of their children\u2019s most current misbehavior.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s me, Adam,\u201d Teresa replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Teresa entered the room and found her husband lying across the bed, face down and sans shirt.\u00a0\u00a0 Hop Sing was in the midst of giving Adam a vigorous, thorough massage, making generous use of the ointment, sitting in its bowl on the night table.<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Adam not young like used to be,\u201d Hop Sing admonished him severely.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister Adam older, almost old like Papa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks a lot,\u201d Adam growled, as Teresa quickly covered her mouth the hide her smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cThose facts of life, Mister Adam!\u00a0\u00a0 Too old for bust up broncos!\u00a0\u00a0 Must be more careful!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI WILL certainly try to be more careful,\u201d Adam promised.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou rest now!\u00a0\u00a0 Hop Sing fix dinner!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 With that, Hop Sing gathered up the bowl of ointment and ambled out of the room, closing the door behind him.<\/p>\n

Adam rolled over onto his back, and sat up, carefully easing his legs, one at a time, over the side of the bed.<\/p>\n

\u201cNice!\u201d Teresa remarked, gazing at her husband\u2019s unclothed upper torso with open and frank admiration.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve always loved men with fur coats.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWoman, you\u2019re absolutely incorrigible!\u201d Adam declared, grinning from ear to ear.<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . to be \u2018incorriged\u2019 at all times,\u201d Teresa quipped seating herself on the bed, very close beside him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s up?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBen\u2019s back, along with Stacy and Joe,\u201d Teresa replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe wanted you to see these.\u00a0\u00a0 They\u2019re apparently from Sheriff Coffee.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam took the envelopes from Teresa and rose.\u00a0\u00a0 He quickly read the wired messages from the police department in San Francisco, and from it\u2019s chief.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAll in all, I suppose I shouldn\u2019t be TOO surprised,\u201d he remarked, as he handed the telegrams he had just read back to his wife.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt must have cost a bundle for the police chief to sent THIS wire,\u201d Teresa mused archly, as she gave the long message a quick glance.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cEither he likes the van Slyke family very much, or they pay him a very handsome salary, if you get my meaning?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI do, Teresa.\u00a0\u00a0 I do indeed.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Teresa read the telegram and the police chief\u2019s letter, Adam quickly donned a clean shirt, then opened the envelope containing the note and the newspaper clippings.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGood Lord!\u201d he whispered, stunned.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u00a0 \u00a0What is it?\u201d Teresa asked, noting his pallid complexion, and eyes round and staring fixedly to the article held in a hand that trembled slightly.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere!\u00a0\u00a0 Read it for yourself!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Adam handed the earliest dated article over to his wife, then waited as she read.<\/p>\n

Upon finishing, Teresa closed her eyes, and forced herself to take a deep breath.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMadre Di Dios!\u201d she murmured, shaking her head.\u00a0\u00a0 Adam noted that her normal, ruddy complexion was almost ashen.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat Peggy must have gone through . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She opened her eyes and looked up at Adam, her gaze meeting and holding his.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAdam, this . . . My God!\u00a0\u00a0 This is far worse than anything I could EVER have imagined!\u00a0\u00a0 What are we going to do?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do YOU want to do?\u201d Adam asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to do everything I can to help Peggy get free of that . . . that . . . of that monster!\u201d Teresa stated very quietly, yet very emphatically.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel the same way,\u201d Adam said with a grim, steely determination.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDid Pa say anything to you about . . . this?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He pointed to the newspaper clipping in Teresa\u2019s hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Joe said he was out in the barn talking with Stacy,\u201d Teresa replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMy guess is he\u2019s telling her about what we just got through reading, but sparing her the more alarming details.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019d better wire my mother in Sacramento, as soon as possible.\u00a0\u00a0 She\u2019s supposed to be arriving with Benjy and Dio in another couple of weeks.\u00a0\u00a0 I think, under the circumstances, we\u2019d better tell her not to come until we send for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

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

\u201cPa, it\u2019s not fair!\u201d Stacy declared vehemently.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re absolutely right, it\u2019s NOT fair!\u201d Ben agreed wholeheartedly.\u00a0\u00a0 The thought of restricting this free spirit he knew as daughter was tantamount to thrusting a sword through his own heart.\u00a0 \u201cBut, I hope you understand it\u2019s necessary.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stacy nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 She understood only too well after having been abducted herself less than three months ago by a man hell-bent on murdering her in order to satisfy the bitter, deep seated hatred he had nursed against Ben Cartwright and Paris McKenna, her father and mother, over a period of many years.\u00a0\u00a0 The fact that it happened while she was in the company of her father was all the more unsettling.<\/p>\n

Even so, the prospect of having her freedom so strictly curtailed again, so soon, was sheer torture nonetheless.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll still be able to train Sun Dancer,\u201d Ben pointed out, \u201csince Hoss and Joe . . . even Candy are all working with you on that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re still going to let me race Sun Dancer in the Independence Day Race?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf COURSE I am!\u201d Ben declared stoutly, bolstered by the sudden appearance of a small ray of hope he saw reflected in her face and in her eyes.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat would be pretty silly of me not to let the fastest horse in the whole state of Nevada enter that race, now wouldn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, it would!\u201d Stacy agreed.\u00a0 For a moment, Ben thought she was actually going to smile.\u00a0\u00a0 The moment faded, and with it, the brief glimpse of sunshine and light.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve got to promise me something,\u201d Stacy said, her face set with grim determination.<\/p>\n

\u201cI will if I can,\u201d Ben said warily.<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean it, Pa.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy verbally pounced on his hesitation with both feet.\u00a0\u00a0 Her eyes burned with fierce, angry determination.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf push comes down to shove, and we end up having to fight it out with Brett van Slyke, I stand WITH you guys.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded, knowing full well that argument would be useless.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cStacy,\u201d he said, placing a paternal hand on her shoulder, \u201cI wouldn\u2019t want my Fighting Irish Knight Errant anywhere else EXCEPT by my side.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

That evening, Lark Meredith half walked, half stumbled into the Lucky Lady Saloon in Placerville, located directly across the street from the hotel.\u00a0\u00a0 His eyelids felt like some one had tied a ten-ton weight to each.\u00a0\u00a0 He collapsed against the bar with a big yawn.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood evening, Mister Meredith,\u201d the bartender, a man named Everett Monroe greeted him affably.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe usual?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot tonight,\u201d Lark shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll have a bottle o\u2019 whiskey and a glass.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s been a real long day!\u201d<\/p>\n

Everett nodded and moved off, returning a few moments later with a full bottle of whiskey and a clean glass.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI hear you folks are gonna be leavin\u2019 us soon,\u201d the bartender said as he placed bottle and glass down on the bar in front of Lark.<\/p>\n

Lark glanced up at him sharply.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhere\u2019d you hear THAT?\u201d he demanded.<\/p>\n

Everett shrugged.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDifferent people.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, we ARE pretty close to winding up our business here,\u201d Lark said evasively, as he poured himself a glass of whiskey.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou movin\u2019 out to the lodge?\u201d<\/p>\n

It was in the tip of Larks\u2019 tongue to tell the bartender in no uncertain terms to mind his own business.\u00a0\u00a0 No point in THAT, he decided with an indifferent shrug.\u00a0\u00a0 If Everett Monroe already knew the van Slykes\u2019 business, chances were everyone in Placerville already knew, too.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe got some matters to take care of over in Virginia City,\u201d Lark said.\u00a0\u00a0 He raised the glass of whiskey to his lips and downed its entire contents in a single gulp.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAfter that, perhaps, if the younger Mister van Slyke is of a mind to take time off \u2018n relax.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAny word as the whereabouts of Mrs. van Slyke?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe think she may be with friends.\u201d<\/p>\n

Everett nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat WAS a pretty big set-to they had a few nights ago.\u00a0\u00a0 Y\u2019 know?\u00a0\u00a0 Sometimes, when things get THAT hot \u2018n heavy?\u00a0\u00a0 It does a couple good if one or t\u2019 other\u2019s able to go away for a few days.\u00a0\u00a0 Gives \u2018em both a little time alone t\u2019 cool off.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He smiled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSure worked well enough for the missus \u2018n ME all the years we wuz married.\u201d<\/p>\n

Two rowdy customers at the other end of the bar loudly demanded immediate service.\u00a0\u00a0 Everett moved off to serve them, much to Lark\u2019s relief.\u00a0\u00a0 He wrapped his fingers tightly around the neck of the bottle, picked up the glass, and moved to a table in a far dark corner, with a single chair.\u00a0\u00a0 There, he sat unmoving, his elbows flanking the near full glass in front of him, with chin resting heavily on the palms of his hands.\u00a0\u00a0 He stared morosely into the amber depths of the whiskey.\u00a0\u00a0 There had been no reply from San Francisco.\u00a0\u00a0 He had checked at the hotel desk and at the Western Union office before coming here, to the saloon.<\/p>\n

He took another sip from the glass, wondering what in the world he was going to do about finding lodging for his employer\u2019s son until the Dresslers could get the second floor of the lodge ready.\u00a0\u00a0 He had gone to the other two hotels in Placerville.\u00a0\u00a0 Neither were anywhere near as nice as the one they were in now, of course, but beggars can\u2019t afford to be choosy.\u00a0\u00a0 The manager of the first place he visited was polite, yet very firm in his refusal to lodge the van Slyke Party.\u00a0\u00a0 The other manager didn\u2019t bother to trouble himself with the niceties of common courtesy.\u00a0\u00a0 He simply ordered Lark to leave his establishment, peppering his request with a vast array of colorful invectives.<\/p>\n

Even if the Dresslers COULD guarantee that the second floor would be ready within the next three days, there were other things to consider.\u00a0\u00a0 Laying in food supplies was one.\u00a0\u00a0 Bed linens, blankets, towels, even pillows . . . all of THOSE would have to be purchased NEW, since Mister Horace had taken all that stuff with HIM back to San Francisco, the last time he had visited.<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . I can\u2019t even START shopping until Mister van Slyke in San Francisco gets his wherewithal together long enough to wire the bank here, to release enough money so I can buy what I need to buy,\u201d Lark groused in silence.<\/p>\n

Maybe . . . .<\/p>\n

If Horace van Slyke\u2019s reply arrived tomorrow morning, releasing the funds in the family account at First Mercantile, Lark COULD spend the morning shopping, laying in supplies.\u00a0\u00a0 The Dresslers had today and tomorrow to get things cleaned and ready.\u00a0\u00a0 If they could just concentrate their efforts on the second floor guest bedroom, MISTER Dressler could finish up the remaining house cleaning, after his wife left for Carson City.<\/p>\n

In the meantime, he and Hoyt could certainly \u201crough it,\u201d until the rest of the second floor could be cleaned, and made habitable.<\/p>\n

Or maybe tomorrow would finally be the day the elder van Slyke sent word informing them that all the nasty, sordid business concerning Brett and that barmaid had been cleared up, and they could return home.\u00a0\u00a0 All of them!\u00a0\u00a0 The younger Mister van Slyke . . . his wife, IF they ever found her . . . the wife\u2019s insipid mother and ruthless aunt . . . the accountants . . . good riddance to every last one of them.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow in the ever lovin\u2019 world are we gonna get Brett van Slyke safely back to San Francisco when the time comes?\u201d\u00a0 Lark groaned aloud, softly, under his breath.\u00a0\u00a0 His initial elation at the prospect of being at long last rid of the van Slyke party quickly plummeted to the very depths of despair.\u00a0\u00a0 Over the past three days, Brett van Slyke\u2019s condition had steadily worsened.\u00a0\u00a0 Though his \u201cvalet,\u201d Hoyt Pyle, was big, and could be pretty mean if the situation demanded it, even he was hard pressed to keep Brett van Slyke under wraps.\u00a0\u00a0 Lark had grave doubts as to whether the two of them could adequately handle Brett van Slyke on that long trip back to San Francisco.<\/p>\n

Lark lifted his glass once again, intending to finish what remained.\u00a0\u00a0 He froze for a moment, with the glass poised mid-way between the table and his lips as a fleeting cold draft gently wafted over him.<\/p>\n

\u201cSudden cold chill means someone\u2019s walkin\u2019 across your grave, Lark,\u201d his mother\u2019s words spoken in a quivering frightened voice echoed in his ears over a long stretch of years gone by.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cQuick!\u00a0\u00a0 Cross yourself \u2018n say the \u2018Our Father.\u2019 \u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Lark shuddered.\u00a0\u00a0 His hand, with its fingers wrapped tight around the whiskey glass, rose automatically to cross himself.\u00a0\u00a0 Suddenly, he slammed the glass back down on the table, hard, sloshing two thirds of the remaining whiskey on the table.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDamn\u2019 silly superstition!\u201d he growled, as he angrily shoved the empty bottle and glass aside.\u00a0\u00a0 He rose unsteadily to his feet and sauntered out of the saloon.<\/p>\n

When he returned to the hotel, Lark found a reply from San Francisco waiting at the front desk.\u00a0\u00a0 He rudely snatched the envelope, into which the message from the telegraph office had been placed, from the clerk\u2019s hand, and opened it with eager anticipation.\u00a0\u00a0 His face fell as he read:<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Meredith [stop]<\/p>\n

Have seen to matter regarding wife and child [stop]\u00a0\u00a0 Not safe yet to return [stop]\u00a0 Will advise [stop]<\/p>\n

Yours [stop] \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 HvS [stop; end of message]\u201d<\/p>\n

As he stood, his eyes glued to the long awaited message from Horace van Slyke, Lark was suddenly possessed with a strong, nearly overpowering urge to run.\u00a0\u00a0 Just run!\u00a0\u00a0 It didn\u2019t much matter where . . . just anywhere, far, far away from here, and the van Slykes, and all their problems.\u00a0\u00a0 Let the likes of that bossy Nathan Jamison handle things from now on, or better yet, that passel of useless accountants, who had nothing better to do day after day, except complain about the food being too hot, the mattresses being too lumpy, or the rotgut whiskey served in the saloons.\u00a0\u00a0 Lark would have loved seeing them try.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Lark, with clenched teeth, shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo!\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ll see that Brett van Slyke gets back to San Francisco.\u00a0\u00a0 After THAT, I give my resignation.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cHoss Cartwright, just what do you think you\u2019re doing?\u201d Stacy demanded angrily, the following morning.\u00a0\u00a0 She stood framed in the open door to the barn, with fists planted firmly on hips, leveling a dark glare at her biggest brother.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m muckin\u2019 out the stalls,\u201d Hoss affably stated the obvious.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019M supposed to be mucking out the stalls.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss grinned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI had no idea you enjoyed doin\u2019 this job so much, Li\u2019l Sister.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t,\u201d she snapped.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut, a bet\u2019s a bet, remember?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, but when trouble\u2019s afoot, all bets are OFF.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPostponed!\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss sighed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAll right, Li\u2019l Sister, postponed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean it, Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean it, too.\u00a0\u00a0 Tell you what, Stacy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSeein\u2019 as how you\u2019re here, if y\u2019 could give me a hand with the last few stalls, I think you \u2018n I might be able t\u2019 squeeze in a ride out t\u2019 Ponderosa Plunge \u2018n back before breakfast is ready.\u201d<\/p>\n

The dark angry scowl on her face evaporated, almost as if it had never been.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cReally, Hoss?\u201d she asked hopefully.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah . . . if we quit talkin\u2019 \u2018n git t\u2019 work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stacy quickly located another bucket and shovel.\u00a0\u00a0 She stepped into the stall adjoining the one where Hoss worked, and eagerly pitched right in.\u00a0\u00a0 Brother and sister worked diligently and hard together in companionable silence, finishing the onerous chore in record time.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019t you run on in the house . . . leave a note for Pa, an\u2019 while you\u2019re at it y\u2019 can grab our hats \u2018n my gun belt,\u201d Hoss suggested.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll saddle Chubb \u2018n Blaze Face.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOk, Big Brother.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy turned and impulsively threw her arms around his waist.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThanks,\u201d she said gratefully, as she hugged him tight.<\/p>\n

Hoss smiled, and hugged her back.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re welcome.\u00a0\u00a0 Now you\u2019d best skedaddle!\u00a0\u00a0 Time\u2019s a wastin\u2019!\u201d<\/p>\n

Stacy nodded and ran off, returning within a scant few minutes with everything Hoss had requested, plus their jackets.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPa was already up,\u201d she explained as she handed Hoss his gun belt, then his jacket.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe said he didn\u2019t want the two of us catching our death of cold.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss slipped on his gun belt and jacket.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt IS a mite chilly this mornin\u2019,\u201d he said by way of agreement as he took his hat from Stacy and deftly placed it on his head.<\/p>\n

Stacy slipped on her own hat and jacket, then turned to help Hoss finish saddling Chubb.<\/p>\n

The vivid colors of the early morning sunrise gave way to a rich, golden amber light, as Hoss and Stacy left the yard, riding their horses, Chubb and Blaze Face.\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss led them along the more circuitous, scenic route that wound its way through forest and meadow, and past stream.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, look!\u201d Stacy pointed to a tree up ahead, where two squirrels chased each other along the trunk.\u00a0\u00a0 She and Hoss paused and watched the graceful, fluid choreography of the small mammals\u2019 movements up and down the tree trunk.<\/p>\n

In the branches above, they heard the harsh, strident cry of a jay calling.\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss called back a response, in perfect, precise mimicry.\u00a0\u00a0 The jay responded.\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss and bird carried on a long conversation, much to the wonderment and delight of his young sister.\u00a0\u00a0 At length, Hoss and Stacy emerged from the trees out onto the rock promontory of Ponderosa Plunge.\u00a0\u00a0 They were very much surprised to find they were not alone.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning, Big Brother . . . Little Sister,\u201d Adam greeted his approaching younger siblings with a broad grin and a wave.\u00a0\u00a0 His wife stood behind him, a little to the right, smiling.<\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018Mornin\u2019, Adam . . . \u2018mornin\u2019, Teresa,\u201d Hoss greeted his older brother and sister-in-law.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning, Oldest Brother . . . and you, too, Teresa . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy smiled remembering the morning the pair of them had returned to the house with an abundance of pine needles in their hair and disheveled clothing.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve ALWAYS loved this spot,\u201d Adam said with a dreamy smile on his face, as he turned to contemplate the view.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love coming out here, too,\u201d Stacy said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cEspecially when whatever problems I\u2019m having start to overwhelm me.\u00a0\u00a0 I come out here for awhile, and all the things that were so big and overwhelming . . . aren\u2019t anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . and you start to see that whatever the issue is, you CAN work it out, even solve it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Stacy looked up into her oldest brother\u2019s face, surprised and delighted that he somehow understood.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the way it was for me, too,\u201d Adam confirmed, gratified to find a piece of common ground with this young sister he had met for the first time almost a month before.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYour mother used to ride out here often herself, after Pa and I showed her this place.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe did?\u00a0\u00a0 Really?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, what was she like . . . back then?\u201d Stacy asked.<\/p>\n

Adam smiled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe was very much like YOU in a lot of ways, Little Sister,\u201d he replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll always remember her as a very free spirited, independent woman, wild and impulsive sometimes, and always loving, kind, and gracious.\u00a0\u00a0 She was very quick tempered, but her anger always passed very quickly.\u00a0\u00a0 She also loved beautiful scenic places like this, and loved spending time there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a place near the lake where she and Pa used to go together to watch the sun set,\u201d Stacy said quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . among OTHER things,\u201d<\/em> Adam mused in silence, as he fondly remembered the numerous times Paris and their father came back from that place, their hair laced with pine needles, clothing ever so slightly disheveled, holding hands, and smiling contentedly at one another.\u00a0\u00a0 If Little Joe was actually conceived right here on the spot where the four of them stood, as Teresa had told him their first morning here, then that place down by the lake was, more than likely where his young sister was conceived.\u00a0\u00a0 Aloud, he said, \u201cI\u2019ve never told anyone this before, but I always felt sorry that your mother and Pa never married.\u00a0\u00a0 Now that I\u2019ve met YOU, Stacy, I regret that even more.\u00a0\u00a0 I would\u2019ve enjoyed having a baby sister around.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Adam,\u201d Stacy said quietly, as she slipped her arms around his waist and squeezed.<\/p>\n

Adam put his own arms around Stacy\u2019s shoulders, squeezed back with genuine affection, then held her close for a moment, remembering how a simple touch of hand, or a quick affectionate squeeze always meant so very much to her mother.\u00a0\u00a0 Unlike Paris, however, Stacy wasn\u2019t the least bit shy or apprehensive about being the first to reach out and touch others she loved and cared about.\u00a0\u00a0 No wonder his father and brothers, especially Joe, who himself was as tactile oriented, had fallen so completely in love with this \u201cmere slip of a gal,\u201d as Pa described her in that first letter following their homecoming from Fort Charlotte nearly five years ago.<\/p>\n

\u201cI, uh think we\u2019d best be moseyin\u2019 along,\u201d Hoss ventured, reluctant to bring the bonding happening between Stacy and Adam to an end so soon.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf we start back now, we\u2019ll just make it back in time f\u2019r breakfast.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStomach rumbling already, Big Brother?\u201d Adam teased gently.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wasn\u2019t thinkin\u2019 so much about my stomach as I was about how Hop Sing\u2019s gonna have a fit if we ain\u2019t there t\u2019 dig in while it\u2019s hot,\u201d Hoss retorted good naturedly.<\/p>\n

\u201cBig Brother speaks absolutely true!\u201d Stacy agreed wholeheartedly.<\/p>\n

The four untethered their horses and climbed up onto their backs.\u00a0\u00a0 This time, Hoss led everyone back along the more direct route toward the main road.\u00a0\u00a0 As they moved out onto the main road, and turned toward the Ponderosa, a shot from an unseen rifle rang out, spooking their horses.<\/p>\n

Hoss quickly reined in Chubb, then rode first to help Teresa bring her own horse, Guinevere, to order.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Hoss,\u201d Teresa said gratefully.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

Teresa nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat about Stacy and Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

After Stacy had managed to rein in and calm Blaze Face, she looked over at her oldest brother, and saw, to her relief, that he had already brought the high-spirited Sport II to order.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou ok, Adam?\u201d Stacy asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m fine.\u00a0\u00a0 Where\u2019s Teresa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot to worry!\u00a0\u00a0 She\u2019s over there with Hoss, and it looks like they\u2019ve got Guinevere calmed down now, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow that I know everyone\u2019s alright, I\u2019d like to know just who in the hell\u2019s shooting at us!\u201d\u00a0 Teresa declared with a dark angry scowl, as her hot Latin temper got the better of her.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhoever it is probably ain\u2019t shootin\u2019 at US or anybody else,\u201d Hoss said, as Adam and Stacy rode over to join them.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThey was more \u2018n likely aimin\u2019 at some wild animal an\u2019 . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 A second shot rudely interrupted Hoss mid-sentence.<\/p>\n

Adam blanched as the bullet whizzed by less than a half inch from his ear.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSTACY, GET DOWN . . .\u00a0 NOW!\u201d he shouted, as he himself quickly dismounted.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHOSS . . . TERESA, YOU, TOO!\u201d<\/p>\n

Before Stacy could even think of moving, a third shot rang out, striking her head.\u00a0\u00a0 Blaze Face, now thoroughly panicked, reared, dumping his insensate rider like an ungainly sack of potatoes.\u00a0\u00a0 Even as he ran to help his stricken sister, Adam\u2019s eyes darted over the landscape before him, frantically searching for something, anything, that would serve as adequate cover.\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss meanwhile had half jumped half fallen off of Chubb\u2019s back.\u00a0\u00a0 With heart in mouth, he immediately ran to help Teresa, as she dismounted.<\/p>\n

\u201cHOSS!\u00a0\u00a0 TERESA!\u00a0\u00a0 OVER THERE!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Adam pointed to a couple of boulders sitting about thirty yards from the edge of the road.\u00a0\u00a0 He quickly scooped Stacy\u2019s inert form in his arms and bolted, as a fourth and fifth shot rang out.<\/p>\n

\u201cTeresa, run!\u201d Hoss ordered tersely, drawing his own gun from it\u2019s holster.\u00a0\u00a0 He took aim and fired at a small group of trees growing on the other side of the road.<\/p>\n

Adam, with Stacy, reached the shelter of the rocks first, with Teresa arriving less than a second later.<\/p>\n

Teresa pulled a handkerchief from the pocket of her riding skirt and pressed it hard against Stacy\u2019s profusely bleeding temple for a moment.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThank God!\u00a0\u00a0 That bullet merely grazed her,\u201d she murmured softly, upon removing her handkerchief for a closer look at the wound.<\/p>\n

Stacy, still lying cradled in Adam\u2019s arms, groaned softly and began to stir.<\/p>\n

\u201cEasy, Stacy, lie still,\u201d Teresa gently admonished her young sister-in-law.<\/p>\n

Hoss joined his brother, sister, and sister-in-law, a few moments later.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHow\u2019s Stacy?\u201d he demanded.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe bullet branded her, that\u2019s all,\u201d Adam replied.<\/p>\n

Hoss slowly let out the breath he had been holding.<\/p>\n

\u201cH-Hoss . . . ?\u201d Stacy groaned.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m right here, \u2018n I\u2019m just fine, Li\u2019l Sister.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss reached over and gently squeezed her hand.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou just lie still \u2018n relax.\u00a0\u00a0 We\u2019ll have ya home \u2018fore ya know it.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 This last was uttered with far more confidence than he felt.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, were you able to get a look at whoever was shooting at us?\u201d Adam asked.<\/p>\n

Hoss grimly shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhen they fired \u2018n hit Stacy, I caught sunlight glintin\u2019 on metal over in the trees over there . . . on the other side o\u2019 the road,\u201d he replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou think they\u2019re still there?\u201d Teresa asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know f\u2019r sure, Teresa.\u00a0\u00a0 All I DO know is I ain\u2019t seen anyone come outta that clump o\u2019 trees.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOne way to find out,\u201d Adam said grimly.\u00a0\u00a0 Keeping one arm firmly around Stacy, he reached up with his free hand and removed his hat.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSit this up on top of the rock there, and see what happens.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss took Adam\u2019s hat and carefully set it atop the large rock that sheltered them.\u00a0\u00a0 The gesture was immediately answered by rifle fire.\u00a0\u00a0 One shot, followed by a second.\u00a0\u00a0 A third came a moment later, followed straightaway by a fourth, which knocked Adam\u2019s hat from its perch.\u00a0\u00a0 Teresa moved close to Adam and Stacy, shielding the latter with her own body.\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss pressed up close against the rock, jumping up to return fire before the echoes of the fourth shot had a chance to die away.\u00a0\u00a0 The fifth shot from the trees across the road sent Hoss ducking for cover post haste.<\/p>\n

A sudden volley of return fire erupted across the road, originating from a place beyond the clump of trees sheltering whoever had been firing upon them.\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss and Adam exchanged worried glances.\u00a0\u00a0 An apprehensive silence settled over all four like a thick shroud.<\/p>\n

\u201cHOSS!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s Pa!\u201d Hoss declared the obvious, his profound relief evident in his tone of voice and in the way his entire body sagged heavily against the rock support behind him.<\/p>\n

\u201cHOSS!\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hoss quickly scrambled to his feet, clinging to the rock for support.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHERE, PA!\u201d <\/strong>he shouted back at the top of his voice.<\/p>\n

A moment later, Ben emerged on foot from the trees across the way.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIS EVERYONE ALL RIGHT?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSTACY\u2019S\u00a0\u00a0 HIT . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWHAT?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSHE\u2019LL BE ALRIGHT, PA!\u201d\u00a0 Hoss shouted back quickly, as he emerged from cover.<\/p>\n

Ben, with heart in mouth ran ahead, meeting Hoss in the middle of the road.<\/p>\n

\u201cStacy\u2019s gonna be alright, Pa.\u00a0\u00a0 The bullet branded her, that\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank God!\u201d Ben murmured a short, heartfelt prayer of relief and gratitude.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhere is she?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBehind the rock where I was, with Teresa \u2018n Adam.\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy \u2018n I met \u2018em out at Ponderosa Plunge.\u00a0\u00a0 We were on our way back to the house when someone started shootin\u2019 at us the minute we stepped onto the road.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll four of your horses showed up in the front yard without you,\u201d Ben explained.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe . . . Joe, Candy, Hank, and a couple of the other men . . . heard gunfire, so we cut across the meadow and snuck up behind the people firing at you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDidja get \u2018em, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yeah, we got \u2018em,\u201d Ben said grimly.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes Joe need any help?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d say he has things pretty well in hand,\u201d Ben turned and gestured broadly toward the clump of trees, as Joe and Candy emerged into the light, both armed with rifles.\u00a0\u00a0 Hank followed, leading Buck and Cochise.\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss\u2019 jaw dropped in complete and utter astonishment upon seeing the two people walking in front Joe, Candy, and the business end of their rifles.\u00a0\u00a0 Lil Manfred, walked slightly ahead of Laura Dayton, with hands upraised and a defiant, angry scowl on her face.\u00a0\u00a0 Laura\u2019s head was bowed, her face and eyes fixed resolutely to her feet.<\/p>\n

Ben, meanwhile, made his way behind the rock, where Adam and Teresa remained with Stacy cradled between them.\u00a0\u00a0 Teresa rose as her father-in-law approached and moved aside.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben half smiled, and nodded his thanks before kneeling down beside Stacy and Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d Stacy murmured softly, reaching out her hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cRight here,\u201d Ben said, taking her hand in his.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy whole body hurts, especially my head.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t THINK Stacy broke anything, Pa, but she DID take a nasty tumble off of Blaze Face,\u201d Adam said gravely.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt might be a good idea to have Doctor Martin look her over, just to make sure everything\u2019s alright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI agree, Adam,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll send someone to fetch him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWere you able to catch the men firing at us?\u201d Adam asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, we caught the people shooting at you, and no, they\u2019re not men,\u201d Ben said, as an angry scowl knotted his brow.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThey\u2019re women.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?!\u201d Adam looked over at his father, stunned.<\/p>\n

Ben nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNone other than our old \u2018friends,\u2019 Laura Dayton and Lil Manfred.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Chapter 3 — Deliverance<\/p>\n

\u201cLil, why?\u201d Adam demanded.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re lookin\u2019 for an apology, don\u2019t hold your breath!\u201d Lil said, favoring Adam with a defiant, angry glare.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m NOT looking for an apology,\u201d Adam said, struggling to keep his own anger in check.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI simply want to know why.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI told you when we left the other day that our conversation wasn\u2019t over,\u201d Lil said.<\/p>\n

Adam glanced over at Laura, riding on the other side of her aunt, with her eyes glued to her hands, clutching the reins.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLaura?\u201d he prodded gently.<\/p>\n

Laura glanced up sharply, upon hearing her name.\u00a0\u00a0 Her face, with its pallid complexion, and wide staring eyes, reminded him of a frightened deer, trapped amid a circle of hunters.<\/p>\n

\u201cLaura, perhaps YOU can tell me why,\u201d Adam addressed her in a kindlier tone.<\/p>\n

\u201cLaura, keep your mouth shut!\u201d Lil snapped.<\/p>\n

\u201cLaura, you and Lil are in a lot of serious trouble,\u201d Adam said, taking care to keep his tone well measured and even.\u00a0\u00a0 He, Joe, and Candy were escorting two prisoners to the Virginia City jail.\u00a0\u00a0 One of them was an old, once very dear friend.\u00a0\u00a0 The other was a woman that the first had long ago introduced to him as her favorite aunt.\u00a0\u00a0 Less than a half an hour ago, Aunt Lil had ambushed himself, his wife, his big brother, Hoss, and young sister, Stacy, as they were returning home from a brisk morning ride.\u00a0\u00a0 One of the bullets fired branded the side of Stacy\u2019s head, and panicked Blaze Face, her horse.\u00a0\u00a0 The terrified horse reared upward, dumping his unconscious rider, before fleeing.\u00a0\u00a0 The others horses also fled in terror.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Adam had given Stacy a brief glance over, while he, Teresa, and Hoss huddled together behind a couple of boulders, away from Lil Manfred\u2019s rifle fire.\u00a0\u00a0 Thankfully, she didn\u2019t APPEAR to have been seriously hurt by the bullet brand and her fall off of Blaze Face.\u00a0\u00a0 Only Doctor Martin could make that determination, however . . . .<\/p>\n

\u201cLaura?\u201d<\/p>\n

Laura Dayton looked over at Adam, her eyes round with fear.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease, Laura,\u201d Adam began in a gentler, more conciliatory tone, \u201cif you\u2019d just tell me what\u2019s going on here . . . why your aunt was taking pot shots at us just now . . . maybe my father and I can do something to help you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t need YOUR help, Adam,\u201d Lil stated imperiously.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019t you let Laura speak for herself, Lil?\u201d Adam countered in a tone that dripped icicles.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019t the two of you just leave me alone?\u201d Laura suddenly burst into tears.<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks a lot, Adam,\u201d Lil growled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNOW I\u2019m gonna be locked in a jail cell, forced to put up with her bawling and whimpering all day and probably all night as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, you\u2019re not going to get anything out of those two,\u201d Joe said, his own voice taut with anger.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPa tried, too, when he found out they, rather Lil. was the one doing the shooting.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re probably right,\u201d Adam was forced to agree.\u00a0\u00a0 He sighed and shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI just don\u2019t understand,\u201d he murmured aloud, addressing no one in particular.<\/p>\n

The five of them reached the sheriff\u2019s office in record time.\u00a0\u00a0 Roy Coffee turned the prisoners, Laura Dayton and Lil Manfred over to his deputy, Clem Foster.\u00a0\u00a0 Clem immediately escorted both women to the jail cells in the room adjoining Roy\u2019s office.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can jail us now, if you want, but Laura and I will be free as a couple of birds by this time tomorrow, Sheriff,\u201d Lil crowed, as Clem literally dragged her back to the jail cell.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou mark my words.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe . . . Adam, now that we have Mrs. Manfred and Mrs. Dayton handed over to Sheriff Coffee\u2019s tender mercies, why don\u2019t I mosey on down to the clinic and see if Doc Martin\u2019s in?\u201d Candy offered.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood idea,\u201d Joe agreed immediately.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe sooner he can check Stacy over \u2018n, hopefully,\u00a0 give her a clean bill of health, the better I\u2019m gonna feel.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI agree with Joe completely,\u201d Adam said with an emphatic nod of his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll see you back at the house later, Candy,\u201d Joe said.<\/p>\n

Candy nodded, then set off.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened to Stacy?\u201d Roy asked anxiously.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe third shot Mrs. Manfred fired branded the side of Stacy\u2019s head and spooked her horse,\u201d Adam said, scowling.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBlaze Face reared, and sent her tumbling.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat bullet brand must\u2019ve knocked her senseless,\u201d Joe said grimly, \u201cor else she would\u2019ve stuck to that saddle like glue, no matter how spooked Blaze Face was.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, what happened out there?\u201d Roy asked.\u00a0\u00a0 He sat down on the chair behind his desk and gestured for the two Cartwright brothers to pull up a couple of chairs.<\/p>\n

Adam pulled the nearest chair at hand up close to the desk and sat down.\u00a0\u00a0 He told Roy everything that happened from the time he, Teresa, Hoss, and Stacy left Ponderosa Plunge and ending with his father and youngest brother coming to their rescue.\u00a0\u00a0 Roy took careful notes of all that Adam told him.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe sat straddling his chair, resting his head on arms folded atop its back.\u00a0\u00a0 He started at the sound of his name.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou all right, Son?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe shook his head to clear it of all the mental cobwebs.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSorry, Sheriff Coffee.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019m a little worried about Stacy, that\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI gotta question for YOU, if I may.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe shrugged.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSure.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019d you \u2018n Ben know Adam an\u2019 the rest were in trouble?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe figured something was amiss when their horses showed up in the front yard without \u2018em,\u201d Joe replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPa ran in to ask Hop Sing to keep close tabs on our, um . . . house guest, while I went to the bunk house to get Candy, Hank, and a couple of the other men.\u00a0\u00a0 We rode out along the main road, and . . . I guess we were about a quarter mile away, if you measure along the curve of the road . . . we heard the sound of rifle fire.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you know that was your family bein\u2019 fired upon?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe didn\u2019t know for sure.\u00a0\u00a0 We went off the road, and cut through the meadow in back of the trees where Lil and Laura were holed up,\u201d Joe continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLil . . . Mrs. Manfred . . . was so intent on shooting at Adam, Teresa, Hoss, and Stacy, she never saw Pa \u2018n me comin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Manfred was the only one doin\u2019 to shootin\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Joe nodded curtly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLaura wasn\u2019t even armed.\u00a0\u00a0 We found HER sitting on a fallen log, with her hands tight against her ears.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened when you \u2018n Ben snuck up on \u2018em from behind?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa ordered Mrs. Manfred to drop the rifle.\u00a0\u00a0 Like I said just now, SHE was the one doing all the shooting.\u00a0\u00a0 I kept my rifle on her while Pa stepped in and took hers.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Joe\u2019s angry scowl deepened.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMrs. Manfred told us straight out that she\u2019d been shooting at Adam \u2018n Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Roy returned his attention back to the eldest of the Cartwright offspring.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou got any idea as t\u2019 WHY Mrs. Manfred was shootin\u2019 at ya?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam recounted the brief conversation he had with Lil as they rode into Virginia City.\u00a0\u00a0 He also gave Roy the details of what had transpired the day Lil and Laura drove out to the Ponderosa looking for Peggy.<\/p>\n

Roy cast a furtive glance over his shoulder, noting that the doors between his office and the room housing the jail cells had been closed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAdam, do they . . . . \u201d he inclined his head in the general direction of the jail cells, \u201c . . . know where Peggy is, exactly?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey never saw her, of course,\u201d Adam said, taking great care to keep his voice low.\u00a0 \u00a0\u201cWhen they showed up at the Ponderosa, Pa did pretty much all the talking, and HE never admitted anything.\u00a0\u00a0 The only thing they have to go on is Lil\u2019s suspicions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roy dutifully made note of that on the pad of paper he used to note down Adam\u2019s testimony.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m gonna hafta talk to Ben, Hoss, Teresa, an\u2019 Stacy, too, if she\u2019s up f\u2019r it,\u201d he said, rising.\u00a0\u00a0 Joe and Adam followed suit.<\/p>\n

\u201cAny time, Sheriff,\u201d Joe said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll let Pa know.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cI\u2019d offer to buy you a beer, Oldest Brother, but all things considered, I think we oughtta be gettin\u2019 on back,\u201d Joe said as he and Adam untethered their horses from the hitching post in the street, right in front of the sheriff\u2019s office.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right, about returning home posthaste,\u201d Adam agreed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAs for the beer, you\u2019ve still got the rest of the summer yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope you\u2019re not too put out about Little Sister wanting to go home with Pa, instead of you,\u201d Joe said, as he swung himself up onto Cochise\u2019s saddle.<\/p>\n

Adam smiled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo, I\u2019m well used to THAT,\u201d he said affably.<\/p>\n

Joe favored his oldest brother with a puzzled frown.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOh.\u00a0\u00a0 You mean because Benjy and Dio want their MOTHER whenever they\u2019re sick or hurt?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cActually, I was thinking about you and Hoss, back when the two of YOU were Stacy\u2019s age . . . and younger.\u00a0\u00a0 As I recall both of YOU wanted Pa, too, whenever you were sick or injured.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Ben, meanwhile, took Stacy home with him on Buck.\u00a0\u00a0 Through out the entire way home, she rested against him, firmly anchored in place by his left arm wrapped securely around her, drifting in and out of consciousness.\u00a0\u00a0 Hop Sing and Jacob Cromwell, one of Ben\u2019s most loyal and trusted ranch hands, were on hand to meet him.<\/p>\n

\u201cJacob, is Mitch in the bunkhouse?\u201d Ben asked as he carefully handed Stacy down to the waiting arms of Hop Sing.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Sir,\u201d Jacob nodded curtly.<\/p>\n

\u201cAsk HIM to look after Buck,\u201d Ben ordered, as he quickly dismounted.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d like you to hitch up the buckboard and go back \u2018n fetch Hoss, Teresa, and Hank.\u00a0\u00a0 You\u2019ll find them near that clump of trees, just past the bend in the road.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Jacob led Buck to the barn, Ben took Stacy back from Hop Sing, and carried her into the house.\u00a0\u00a0 Hop Sing followed anxiously at his heels.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happen to Miss Stacy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll explain later, Hop Sing,\u201d Ben said tersely.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cRight now, I need hot water, a little soap, and a wash cloth.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben carried Stacy upstairs to her room, and\u00a0 carefully placed her down on top of her bed.\u00a0\u00a0 She began to stir again as he set himself to the task of removing her boots<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m right here, Stacy,\u201d Ben said as he placed her boots on the floor, next to the bed.\u00a0\u00a0 He drew up a chair alongside the bed and took her hand.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou warm enough?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah . . . I think . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re feeling chilly, I can put the quilt at the foot of your bed over you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stacy slowly opened her eyes, one at a time, and glanced around at the four walls of her room in complete bewilderment.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Stacy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019d I get here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI brought you home on Buck.\u00a0\u00a0 Don\u2019t you remember?\u201d<\/p>\n

Stacy frowned, then shook her head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo . . . . \u201d she yawned, \u201cI don\u2019t remember very much about . . . about coming home, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou WERE pretty much out if it, Young Woman,\u201d Ben said quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember us leaving Ponderosa Plunge,\u201d Stacy said slowly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHoss, me, Adam, and . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She yawned, \u201c . . . and Teresa.\u00a0\u00a0 It was getting late.\u00a0\u00a0 You know . . . you know how Hop Sing is about eating while it\u2019s hot . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Her voice drifted away to silence.\u00a0\u00a0 Her eyelids dropped like a pair of millstones in deep water, and her breathing fell into a slow, regular pattern.<\/p>\n

Hop Sing entered the room balancing a bowl of steaming hot water in one hand.\u00a0\u00a0 A clean washcloth and face towel were draped over his other arm, and in his hand, he carried a cake of soap.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHop Sing bring hot water,\u201d he announced quietly, as he made his way around to the other side of Stacy\u2019s bed.\u00a0\u00a0 He placed the bowl down on the night table beside the bed and dipped the washcloth in the water.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLet Miss Stacy sleep not good Mister Cartwright.\u00a0\u00a0 She fall, maybe hit head.\u00a0\u00a0 Maybe have . . . . \u201d he frowned trying to recall the English word he sought.<\/p>\n

\u201cConcussion?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cConcussion!\u00a0\u00a0 Miss Stacy maybe have concussion.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He carefully sat down on the edge of the bed and began to gingerly wash the blood from Stacy\u2019s cheek and hair.<\/p>\n

Stacy stirred and groaned softly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo!\u00a0\u00a0 T-too hot,\u201d she protested weakly, as she instinctively raised one hand to push the washcloth away.<\/p>\n

Ben took both her hands in his and held them in a gentle, yet firm grip.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019ll only be a few minutes, Young Woman.\u00a0\u00a0 Hop Sing\u2019s just cleaning you up a little.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stacy winced as Hop Sing began to cleanse the bullet wound on the side of her head.<\/p>\n

Hop Sing passed Ben the face towel, then rose.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou dry, Mister Cartwright.\u00a0\u00a0 Hop Sing take dirty water outside.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, Hop Sing.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Ben accepted the proffered face towel and began to blot the side of her face gently.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAs for YOU, Young Woman . . . how about sitting up a little more?\u00a0\u00a0 Hop Sing\u2019s right about keeping you awake.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stacy slowly eased herself up to half way between sitting up and lying down.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPa, I . . . I feel kinda light headed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben immediately stacked both of her pillows one on top of the other.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s it, just lie back down . . . there!\u00a0\u00a0 Is THAT a little better?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA little.\u00a0\u00a0 Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened?\u00a0\u00a0 I . . . I hurt all over.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were starting to tell ME,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou, Adam, Teresa, and Hoss had just left Ponderosa Plunge.\u00a0\u00a0 You didn\u2019t want to be late for breakfast.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember! \u00a0\u00a0Hoss took us back to the main road.\u00a0\u00a0 When we got there?\u00a0\u00a0 Someone started shooting at us.\u00a0\u00a0 The last thing I remember after that is Adam telling us to take cover.\u00a0\u00a0 After that, everything\u2019s hazy . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Suddenly, she gasped.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben could see the color literally drain right out of her face and cheeks.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPa . . . was I . . . . ?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Her voice died away to stunned silence.<\/p>\n

\u201cHit?\u201d Ben quietly filled in the blank.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYes, but thank the Good Lord that bullet merely grazed the side of your head.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019m more concerned about possible injuries you many have suffered when you took that tumble off of Blaze Face.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI f-fell off of Blaze Face?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI asked Joe and Candy to fetch Doc Martin back here to check you over, make sure you haven\u2019t injured seriously.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh no!\u201d she groaned, her voice breaking.<\/p>\n

Ben saw very clearly that she was on the edge of tears.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t worry, Stacy,\u201d he smiled, and gave her hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re going to be just fine.\u00a0\u00a0 I want Doc Martin to check you over as a precaution, that\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I know I\u2019m gonna be ok, Pa, . . . but will I be ok in three weeks?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThree weeks?!\u201d Ben echoed, favoring his daughter with a bewildered frown.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019s . . . in three weeks?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Independence Day Race!\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019m riding Sun Dancer!\u201d<\/p>\n

Heartened by her deep concern over her fitness to participate in the upcoming Independence Day Race, Ben\u2019s smile broadened.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re going to have to see what Doc Martin has to say about that, Young Woman,\u201d he said firmly.<\/p>\n

Stacy lapsed into a sullen silence, mixed with a healthy dose of apprehension and concern.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPa?\u201d she ventured at length.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it, Stacy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf Doc Martin tells me I can\u2019t ride Sun Dancer . . . I\u2019ll . . . I\u2019ll . . . so help me, I\u2019ll hunt down whoever it was shooting at us and give \u2018im a real big taste of his own medicine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUncle Ben?\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben and Stacy both turned and saw Peggy standing in the open doorway.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCome on in, Peggy,\u201d the latter invited.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben quietly rose and drew up a chair next to Stacy\u2019s bed.\u00a0\u00a0 He invited her to sit down with a gesture.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Uncle Ben,\u201d Peggy said gratefully, as she entered the room.\u00a0\u00a0 She walked the short distance from the open door to the chair and sat down.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAre . . . are you ok, Stacy?\u00a0\u00a0 I saw Uncle Ben carrying you into the house a little while ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI, uh . . . . had a little bit of a mishap when I was out riding with Hoss, Adam, and Teresa earlier,\u201d Stacy said evasively.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you just say something about someone . . . sh-shooting at you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, uhh . . . yeah,\u201d Stacy admitted reluctantly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c<\/p>\n

\u201cOh m-my God . . . I . . . I hope it wasn\u2019t—\u00a0\u00a0 Oh, Stacy, WAS it Brett?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Ben shook his head and he carefully sat himself back down on the edge of Stacy\u2019s bed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank God,\u201d Peggy murmured, her voice barely audible.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeggy, it WAS your Aunt Lil,\u201d Ben said quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201cAunt Lil?\u201d Peggy echoed, incredulous.<\/p>\n

Ben nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about my mother?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was there, although I don\u2019t think she was doing any shooting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy shook her head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMother\u2019d never shoot anybody.\u00a0\u00a0 She\u2019s scared to death of guns . . . and just about everything ELSE.\u00a0\u00a0 Uncle Ben?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Peggy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere are they now?\u00a0\u00a0 Aunt Lil and Mother?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, Joe, and Candy took them to the Virginia City jail,\u201d Ben said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m afraid one of the charges against Lil is going to be attempted murder.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always known Aunt Lil was a hard woman, capable of a lot of terrible, underhanded things,\u201d Peggy said apologetically.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut I never dreamed she could actually be capable of murder.\u00a0\u00a0 Oh, Stacy, I . . . I\u2019m s-so- sorry . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeggy, it\u2019s not YOUR fault,\u201d Stacy said earnestly.<\/p>\n

\u201cExcuse me!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Peggy rose and fled from the room, leaving Ben and Stacy staring after her, helplessly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Pa, I . . . I didn\u2019t WANT to tell her . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYOU didn\u2019t.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019M the one who told her.\u201d<\/p>\n

This drew a puzzled, bewildered look from Stacy.<\/p>\n

\u201cI told Peggy because the truth has its own way of making itself known,\u201d Ben said quietly, answering the why question unspoken, yet still posed by the look on Stacy\u2019s face.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s usually a lot easier in the long run to be up front and honest right from the start.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEven times like now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cESPECIALLY times like now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Downstairs,\u00a0 the front door opened, then closed.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben and Stacy exchanged apprehensive glances.<\/p>\n

\u201cPA?!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 It was Hoss.<\/p>\n

Ben exhaled a long, slow sigh of relief, and with it a heartfelt prayer of thanks.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cUP HERE, SON!\u201d he yelled back.<\/p>\n

Hoss and Teresa appeared a few moments later.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m glad t\u2019 see you\u2019re lookin\u2019 none t\u2019 worse f\u2019r wear, Li\u2019l Sister,\u201d the former said smiling.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHow\u2019re y\u2019 feelin\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy whole body still hurts,\u201d Stacy replied, \u201cand I\u2019ve got a real humdinger of a headache, but I\u2019m not feeling sleepy anymore . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think she\u2019s too worried right now to sleep,\u201d Ben said, trying his best not to smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh?\u00a0\u00a0 What about?\u201d Teresa asked, favoring Stacy with a bemused look.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat Doc Martin\u2019s going to tell her she can\u2019t ride Sun Dancer in the Independence Day Race this year,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf he does, Li\u2019l Sister, it ain\u2019t the end of the world,\u201d Hoss said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThere\u2019s always NEXT year.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, but that\u2019s a WHOLE YEAR away,\u201d Stacy said dejectedly.<\/p>\n

\u201cBen, is Peggy in her room?\u201d Teresa asked quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I was getting ready to go look in on her, when you and Hoss came in,\u201d Ben said regretfully.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTeresa, she . . . knows . . . all about Lil Manfred shooting at you earlier, and I\u2019m afraid it\u2019s upset her terribly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll see to Peggy,\u201d Teresa promised.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou stay here with Hoss and Stacy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf there\u2019s anything I can do . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll let you know, Ben,\u201d she promised.<\/p>\n

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

Teresa went back down stairs, and a few moments later, found herself standing before the closed door of the guest room down on the first floor.\u00a0\u00a0 She knocked.<\/p>\n

No answer.<\/p>\n

Teresa knocked again.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPeggy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes?\u201d a small voice answered from within.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeggy, it\u2019s Teresa.\u00a0\u00a0 May I come in?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you want to,\u201d came the indifferent reply.<\/p>\n

Teresa opened the door and stepped inside.\u00a0\u00a0 She found Peggy lying down on the bed, with her back to the door.\u00a0\u00a0 Teresa walked over to the bed and carefully seated herself on the edge.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPeggy . . . . \u201d she reached out and gently touched the younger woman\u2019s shoulder.<\/p>\n

Peggy turned.\u00a0\u00a0 Teresa knew from the red cheeks, standing out in stark contrast against a pallid face, the red swollen eyelids, and the unusual brightness of her eyes, that Peggy had just now been crying.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTeresa, I . . . I c-can\u2019t stay here,\u201d she sobbed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cN-not now, not after . . . after wh-what happened to Stacy . . . and the r-rest of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeggy, you\u2019re NOT to blame for what happened this morning,\u201d Teresa said in a brisk, firm, no nonsense tone of voice.\u00a0\u00a0 She frowned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSurely Stacy didn\u2019t accuse you . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo!\u00a0\u00a0 She even went so far as to tell me it wasn\u2019t my fault, but . . . it IS, Teresa.\u00a0\u00a0 It IS!\u00a0\u00a0 If I wasn\u2019t here, my aunt wouldn\u2019t have been out on the road this morning taking pot shots at you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not responsible for your aunt\u2019s actions.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAren\u2019t I?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, you\u2019re not.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy exhaled a short, curt frustrated sigh.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI should NEVER have come here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou did the absolute right thing in coming here, Peggy.\u00a0\u00a0 That night you left, you knew you had friends here, who would be more than willing to help you.\u00a0\u00a0 We . . . all of us . . . still want to help you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou could get killed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you left here, where would you go?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBack,\u201d Peggy replied in a stone cold monotone.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou surely don\u2019t mean back to Brett.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a mistake to have left in the first place.\u201d<\/p>\n

Teresa closed her eyes and forced herself to take slow, deep even breaths.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPeggy, what about your baby?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI told Adam yesterday.\u00a0\u00a0 If I go back now, Brett will treat me like an absolute queen,\u201d Peggy explained.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe won\u2019t be able to apologize enough.\u00a0\u00a0 He\u2019ll be kind and attentive.\u00a0\u00a0 I know . . . it doesn\u2019t last, but . . .\u00a0 his business surely must be close to winding up.\u00a0\u00a0 It HAS to be.\u00a0\u00a0 Mister van Slyke, Brett\u2019s father, promised me we wouldn\u2019t be here for any longer than a month.\u00a0\u00a0 That month is almost up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeggy . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy, her face set with a grim, fatalistic resignation, held up her hand.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo, Teresa, let me finish.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right,\u201d Teresa agreed through clenched teeth.<\/p>\n

\u201cI figure Brett\u2019s nice period, as I call it, should last until we get back to San Francisco,\u201d she continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAfter we get back, I . . . I can ask my father-in-law to help me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeggy, do you know anything the nature of the business that brought Brett to Placerville?\u00a0\u00a0 Anything at ALL?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMister van Slyke told me that there was some trouble back home in San Francisco, and that Brett\u2019s name had come up in connection with it,\u201d Peggy said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe has property outside of Placerville.\u00a0\u00a0 He told me it would be best if Brett looked after business matters here, while he took care of things back home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t know any details about the trouble back home?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s all Mister van Slyke told me.\u00a0\u00a0 That Brett\u2019s name had come up in connection with . . . some kind of trouble, and it would be best if Brett left town for a little while.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Peggy sighed, then added bitterly, \u201cI\u2019m pretty sure it had to do with another woman.\u00a0\u00a0 ALL of Brett\u2019s troubles have to do with another woman!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat business matters did Mister van Slyke want Brett to look into while he was in Placerville?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n

Teresa looked over at Peggy askance.<\/p>\n

\u201cNeither Brett nor his father have ever discussed business matters with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you ever ask?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, when Brett and I were first married.\u00a0\u00a0 Mister van Slyke told me they never discussed business matters with women.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot even their wives?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs the name Rosemary O\u2019Malley familiar to you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy shook her head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo.\u00a0\u00a0 Why should it be?\u00a0\u00a0 And why are you asking me all these questions?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be right back.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Teresa rose and walked out to Ben\u2019s desk.\u00a0\u00a0 She yanked open the bottom drawer, on the right, the force of her movements nearly pulling the drawer out completely.\u00a0\u00a0 Looking inside, she immediately located and pulled out a large, unsealed envelope labeled \u201cvan Slyke\u201d in Ben\u2019s strong, unmistakable hand, before slamming the drawer shut.<\/p>\n

She returned to the guest room, her scowl dark as the clouds of an approaching thunderstorm.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHere!\u201d she tossed the envelope down on the bed in front of Peggy.\u00a0 \u201cInside are clippings from what I assume to be from a newspaper in San Francisco.\u00a0\u00a0 They\u2019ll shed some light on the exact nature of the \u2018business\u2019 that brought Brett to Placerville.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She paused.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAfter you\u2019ve read them, Peggy, let\u2019s see if you\u2019re still of a mind to go back to Brett.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 With that, she angrily left the room.<\/p>\n

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

A knock on the front door stopped Teresa in her tracks, mid-stride.\u00a0\u00a0 She walked over to the door, pausing to gingerly remove Ben\u2019s gun from its holster.\u00a0\u00a0 It had been a few years since she had last indulged in any target practice, but she still knew how to use the weapon in her hand.\u00a0\u00a0 She hoped and prayed she would find the inner wherewithal to do so, should circumstances prove necessary.<\/p>\n

The caller without knocked again.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho is it?\u201d Teresa asked in as steady a voice as she could muster.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoctor Paul Martin.\u201d<\/p>\n

Teresa heaved a heartfelt sigh of relief as she returned Ben\u2019s gun to its holster.\u00a0\u00a0 She opened the door, and stood aside gesturing for the sawbones to enter.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCome in, Doctor.\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy\u2019s upstairs.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Teresa.\u201d<\/p>\n

Teresa dutifully escorted the doctor upstairs, where Ben and Hoss still remained.<\/p>\n

\u201cPaul, come in,\u201d Ben invited rising.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re pretty sure Stacy wasn\u2019t seriously injured . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBen, I\u2019M the doctor here, I\u2019LL make that determination,\u201d Paul said sternly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNow why don\u2019t you and Hoss g\u2019won and wait downstairs.\u00a0\u00a0 Teresa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Doctor?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like YOU to remain, if you would.\u00a0\u00a0 In case I need assistance.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCertainly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be up a little later to check up on you, Stacy,\u201d Ben promised.<\/p>\n

\u201cOK, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben gave his daughter a reassuring smile and gentle squeeze of the hand before leaving the room with Hoss.\u00a0\u00a0 Father and son silently walked down the steps, single file, the former leading.<\/p>\n

\u201cMay as well see if I can get LAST month\u2019s figures to finally balance,\u201d Ben murmured as he turned at the bottom of the steps and walked over toward his desk.<\/p>\n

Hoss reluctantly followed, while silently praying with each step that Doc Martin\u2019s examination would move along swiftly.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He quietly pulled up a chair alongside the desk, while his father began to add the expenditure column yet again.<\/p>\n

An uneasy silence reigned.<\/p>\n

The door of the guest room opened.\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss glanced up, favoring Peggy with a warm, reassuring smile, as she ventured hesitantly out into the great room.\u00a0\u00a0 He waved her over, while, at the same time putting his first finger to his lips.<\/p>\n

\u201cDAMN!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 The expletive exploded from Ben\u2019s lips, shattering the tense silence that had settled over them.\u00a0\u00a0 Both Peggy and Hoss jumped as Ben threw the pencil in hand across the desk in angry frustration.<\/p>\n

Peggy\u2019s involuntary cry of alarm caused Ben\u2019s head to snap up.\u00a0\u00a0 As his eyes met Peggy\u2019s, now round with wary apprehension, his anger and frustration underwent a swift and immediate transformation to remorse.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPeggy, I . . . I\u2019m sorry,\u201d he stammered out an apology, as he stepped from around the desk.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI should know better than to try adding figures when I\u2019m worried about someone . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStacy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was quite a spill she took fallin\u2019 off Blaze Face,\u201d Hoss agreed, \u201cbut I think I\u2019m MORE worried about what\u2019s gonna happen if Doc Martin says she can\u2019t ride in that race comin\u2019 up in three weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben rolled his eyes heavenward.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t want to even THINK about THAT,\u201d he said soberly.\u00a0\u00a0 He, then, turned and gave Peggy a warm, reassuring.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPeggy, why don\u2019t you come on over and join us.\u00a0\u00a0 No more adding columns, I promise.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUncle Ben . . . would you mind if I had a look?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben pondered for a moment, then shrugged.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhy not?\u201d he decided as he and Peggy walked over toward the desk.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSure can\u2019t hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI like playing with numbers,\u201d she said, taking the chair behind the desk.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhen Aunt Lil found THAT out, she made me her bookkeeper, telling me it was high time one of us Daytons made herself useful.\u00a0\u00a0 I enjoyed doing it.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She lapsed into silence as began to add the long column of figures.<\/p>\n

Ben and Hoss both watched anxiously over her shoulder.\u00a0\u00a0 Peggy finished adding the numbers in short order, then compared her total to Ben\u2019s.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, that now makes NINE times that column\u2019s been added, with NINE different totals to show for it,\u201d Ben said feeling a surge of perverse satisfaction.<\/p>\n

Peggy picked up the slip of paper with Ben\u2019s grand total number eight and compared it with her own.\u00a0\u00a0 She mentally subtracted Ben\u2019s from hers.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI come up with a difference of eighty-one dollars,\u201d she said slowly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat means one of us has probably transposed something.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben frowned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHow do you know THAT?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe difference . . . eighty-one dollars, is divisible by nine.\u00a0\u00a0 Uncle Ben?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you add the figures in your head or on paper to get this total?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBy the time I arrived at THAT figure, I was writing it out on paper,\u201d Ben said ruefully.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ll probably find it in the trash can over there, on your right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll find it,\u201d Hoss said.\u00a0\u00a0 He picked up the small trash can, and after a few moments rummaging, found the paper with Ben\u2019s addition.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHere y\u2019 are, Peggy.\u201d<\/p>\n

She accepted the paper from Hoss.\u00a0\u00a0 Lying it on the desk next to the sheet with her own addition, she glanced down both columns very carefully.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHere it is, Uncle Ben,\u201d Peggy said, pointing to a figure just past the center on both sheets.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI show this as three hundred and nine dollars, you show it as three hundred ninety.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She immediately checked the ledger itself.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou have three hundred nine dollars entered here . . . uhh, where do you keep the receipts?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben leaned over and grabbed the pile sitting at the edge of the desk, directly in front of the place where Peggy sat.\u00a0\u00a0 She nodded her thanks as he set the pile directly in front of her.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAccording to the receipt, that figure\u2019s three hundred and nine dollars.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She looked up at Ben with a satisfied smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYour expenditures balance, Uncle Ben.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019ll be dadburned!\u00a0\u00a0 Peggy, you\u2019re a genius!\u201d\u00a0 Hoss proclaimed, awestruck.<\/p>\n

Even Ben couldn\u2019t help smiling.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPeggy, if you\u2019d like to take a crack at the income, you\u2019re more than welcome.\u00a0\u00a0 I haven\u2019t even started on that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure!\u201d Peggy readily agreed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll start on it right after supper.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019ll be fine!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt sure will!\u201d\u00a0 Hoss voiced his own heartfelt agreement.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI can live with Pa tryin\u2019 to make those dadburned ledgers balance, OR I can live with Li\u2019l Sister upstairs bein\u2019 told she can\u2019t be in that race in three weeks.\u00a0\u00a0 But, I sure as shootin\u2019 can\u2019t stomach the idea of livin\u2019 with BOTH.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh come on, Hoss . . . I\u2019m not THAT bad . . . am I?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, y\u2019 taught us, all four o\u2019 us t\u2019 tell the truth no matter what, right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u00a0\u00a0 Y\u2019 ARE that bad . . . maybe even WORSE.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUncle Ben?\u201d<\/p>\n

He turned his attention to Peggy, still seated at the desk, hoping against hope for a change of subject.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYes, Peggy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSpeaking of Stacy . . . is she going to be alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs you probably know, Doctor Martin\u2019s with her now, but I expect good news,\u201d Ben said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI asked him to check her over as more of a precautionary measure than anything else.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank goodness . . . that she\u2019s going to be alright, I mean.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeggy, I want YOU to know that what happened out there with Lil is NOT your fault,\u201d Ben\u2019s voice was very quiet, and firm as granite with conviction.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLIL\u2019S the one who decided to take pot shots at Hoss, Stacy, Adam, and Teresa, NOT you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo everyone keeps telling me,\u201d Peggy said ruefully.<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . and so everyone\u2019s going to keep on telling you until you get it through your head,\u201d Ben said gently.<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I know you have to press charges against Aunt Lil, but what about Mother?\u00a0\u00a0 What\u2019s going to happen to HER?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLaura . . . your mother . . . wasn\u2019t doing any of the shooting,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe didn\u2019t even have a rifle.\u00a0\u00a0 The worst that COULD happen is that she might be charged as an accessory to what Lil did.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeggy, I\u2019M not inclined t\u2019 press any charges against your ma,\u201d Hoss spoke up for the first time.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPa, I hope that doesn\u2019t getcha upset with me . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot at all, Hoss.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Ben shook his head, not surprised.\u00a0\u00a0 This gentle giant he was privileged to call son couldn\u2019t carry a grudge in a bucket.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t speak f\u2019r Stacy, Adam, \u2018n Teresa . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 An amused smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, \u201cexcept t\u2019 say that Li\u2019l Sister upstairs might go after your Aunt Lil herself with a pot full o\u2019 tar \u2018n a sack full o\u2019 feathers if Doc Martin tells her she can\u2019t ride in that race in three weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m beginning to think someone SHOULD\u2019VE tarred and feathered Aunt Lil years ago,\u201d Peggy said.\u00a0\u00a0 The thought prompted a bare hint of a smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe way she was the other day, all the stuff she\u2019s done to you AND your ma, now this business o\u2019 shootin\u2019 at us . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell, it seems t\u2019 me, she\u2019s turned just plain ol\u2019 mean somewhere along t\u2019 way.\u00a0\u00a0 But your ma ain\u2019t like that, not if she\u2019s still the way I remember her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe is, pretty much,\u201d Peggy said in a small, sad voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know your ma had her problems, Peggy, but I also know she didn\u2019t have one single mean bone in her whole body.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know.\u00a0\u00a0 That\u2019s why . . . even with everything that\u2019s happened, everything she may have done or not done, I could never, ever bring myself to hate her,\u201d Peggy said ruefully.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI think I feel sorry for her more than anything else.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBen?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 It was Paul Martin, standing near the bottom of the stairs.<\/p>\n

Hoss rose from the chair he occupied.\u00a0\u00a0 He, Ben, and Peggy all turned their attention to Doctor Martin.<\/p>\n

Paul walked over, with his black bag in hand, and stood in front of the desk, where Peggy sat.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben walked around to meet him.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat daughter of yours is very lucky, Ben.\u00a0\u00a0 Fortunately, that bullet brand must\u2019ve knocked her out, so when she fell off her horse, her body was limp when she hit the ground.\u00a0\u00a0 Had she been conscious, she would\u2019ve tensed more \u2018n likely, which could\u2019ve contributed to some potentially serious injuries.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoc, if Stacy\u2019d been conscious, she wouldn\u2019t have fallen off blaze Face at all,\u201d Hoss said quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI won\u2019t argue with you, Hoss,\u201d Paul said.\u00a0 \u00a0\u201cIn any case, she didn\u2019t break anything, she can walk just fine.\u00a0\u00a0 She\u2019s got a lump on the back of her head the size of a hen\u2019s egg . . . probably from hitting a rock or the ground.\u00a0\u00a0 As for the bullet brand, fortunately, it was only a superficial wound. \u00a0\u00a0I washed the wound again, applied a salve, then bandaged it.\u00a0\u00a0 Other than that, Stacy\u2019s going to have some nasty looking bruises for the better part of a week or so, AND she\u2019s going to be plenty stiff \u2018n sore.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat last might not be such a bad thing, if ya think about it, Doc,\u201d Hoss said affably.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf Li\u2019l Sister up there\u2019s feelin\u2019 stiff \u2018n sore, she just might be inclined t\u2019 sit still long enough t\u2019 get herself better.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou said it, Hoss, I didn\u2019t.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Paul\u2019s wry tone gave strong indication that he had at least given thought to what Hoss had just voiced.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBen, would you mind seeing me out?\u00a0\u00a0 I have a few instructions.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, Paul,\u201d Ben agreed.\u00a0\u00a0 After exhorting Hoss and Peggy to sit still, he quietly followed the doctor out to his buggy.<\/p>\n

Paul opened his bag and drew out a tube of salve.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI want you to change Stacy\u2019s bandage twice a day, when she gets up in the morning and at suppertime would be good,\u201d he said, all business.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhen you change the bandage, apply this generously to the wound.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded as he took the tube of salve from the doctor.<\/p>\n

Paul imparted the remainder of his instructions.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAny questions?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOne.\u00a0\u00a0 The Independence Day Race is coming up in three weeks, as you know . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Paul nodded and smiled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou want to know if Stacy can ride that big palomino.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to see her again in about a week, Ben, just to make certain everything\u2019s alright.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ll give you an answer then.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks a lot, Paul.\u00a0\u00a0 To say that a whole week of not knowing\u2019s going to try her patience is the understatement of the year.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWHAT patience?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben smiled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou have a point.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t be so smug, Ben.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ve known you to be even worse than Stacy is,\u201d Paul retorted with mock severity.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAlso . . . you MIGHT tell that hard headed young woman upstairs that if she does what I tell her, she\u2019ll stand a better chance of my telling her she can ride in that race in three weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll keep that in mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBen . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it, Paul?\u201d he queried, picking up on the doctor\u2019s change in demeanor.<\/p>\n

\u201cI heard from Doctor Phillips in San Francisco this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wish I had as good news about this as I did about Stacy,\u201d Paul said somberly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAccording to this Doctor Phillips, it seems Peggy\u2019s father-in-law called for a hearing to determine whether or not she\u2019s mentally competent.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stunned by this revelation, all Ben could do was stare over at Paul, dumbfounded.<\/p>\n

\u201cBen, the judge found Peggy to be mentally incompetent,\u201d Paul said grimly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHer husband was granted full custody.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWHAT?\u201d Ben roared the minute he found his voice.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPaul, she\u2019s no more insane than . . . than you and I are!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI agree with you one hundred percent.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI . . . I don\u2019t understand this!\u00a0\u00a0 How could they possibly hold such a hearing without Peggy even being there to defend herself?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMoney talks, Ben, and from what little I\u2019ve heard, the van Slyke family has enough to do a powerful lot of talking.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEspecially in San Francisco,\u201d Ben said through clenched teeth.<\/p>\n

\u201cFortunately, for Peggy, WE\u2019RE not in San Francisco.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you going to do, Ben?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTwo things.\u00a0\u00a0 First thing tomorrow morning, I\u2019m going to ride into town and talk with Lucas.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll see that he gets Doctor Phillips\u2019 telegram when I return.\u00a0\u00a0 What\u2019s the second thing you\u2019re going to do?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe second thing I\u2019m going to do is turn Peggy over to that monster, Brett van Slyke, when hell freezes over.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

That night Ben lay in bed, flat on his back, staring up toward the ceiling.\u00a0\u00a0 The relentless tick . . . tock . . . tick . . . tock of the clock hanging on the wall opposite his bed sounded for all the world like Sam Hill striking his anvil.\u00a0\u00a0 Just as loud, just as strident.\u00a0\u00a0 He heard the grandfather clock downstairs strike midnight, then one, followed by two . . . .<\/p>\n

Ben sat up, and angrily threw aside the covers.\u00a0\u00a0 He stood and felt for the bathrobe he kept hanging on the post at the head of his bed.\u00a0\u00a0 The instant his fingers touched it, he snatched it up with a broad sweep of his arm, slipped it on.<\/p>\n

At the top landing, Ben paused, noting the telltale flicker of lamplight that seemed to emanate from over next to the fireplace.\u00a0\u00a0 He slowly, cautiously made his way down the stairs.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood evening, Pa.\u00a0\u00a0 Or perhaps I should say good morning.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 It was Adam, similarly attired in nightshirt and robe.\u00a0\u00a0 He sat on the middle of the settee, with a glass of brandy on the coffee table in front of him, untouched by all appearances.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou couldn\u2019t sleep either, I see . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Ben shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI got tired of lying in the bed, staring up at the ceiling, listening to the clock down here striking every quarter hour.\u00a0\u00a0 I thought maybe a glass of brandy might help.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam picked up the full glass in front of him and offered it to his father.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHere.\u00a0\u00a0 Be my guest.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s alright, I can get my own glass.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSuit yourself.\u00a0\u00a0 The two I\u2019ve already had haven\u2019t helped . . . as you can see.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben walked over and sat down on the red chair.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPeggy took this latest bit of bad news better than I though she would, given how upset she was when she found out Lil Manfred was the one shooting at the four of you,\u201d he remarked casually.<\/p>\n

\u201cTeresa told me that Peggy was pretty adamant about going back, after what happened this morning,\u201d Adam said somberly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPeggy and I had pretty much the same conversation early yesterday morning, but . . . I thought I had convinced her otherwise.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThose articles from San Francisco gave Peggy pause at any rate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 A mirthless half smile pulled at the corner of his mouth.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPeggy\u2019s insistence on going back to Brett must have been a bit more than my loving wife could stomach.\u00a0\u00a0 Teresa and I had initially agreed we weren\u2019t going to show Peggy those articles, unless we absolutely had to.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTeresa must\u2019ve felt she absolutely had to.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt any rate, with this latest development, Peggy knows now that there\u2019s no going back.\u00a0\u00a0 The only thing she CAN do now is fight it out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo.\u00a0\u00a0 What\u2019re we going to do, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m riding into town first thing in the morning to see Lucas.\u00a0\u00a0 Do you want to come along?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, just so long we have enough men here to protect Peggy while you and I are gone.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll ask Hoss and Joe to keep close to home while we\u2019re gone.\u00a0\u00a0 Jacob Cromwell and half dozen of the men are out checking the fences on the north pastures.\u00a0\u00a0 The rest are out in the bunkhouse.\u00a0\u00a0 I think, for the next few days at least, we can find plenty of work for \u2018em to do close by.\u201d<\/p>\n

The two men lapsed into silence for a time, each wrapped up in his own thoughts.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d Ben broke the silence a few moments after the grandfather clock chimed the quarter before the hour of three.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you going to press charges against Laura?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Adam shrugged.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve been turning that question over and over in my mind . . . ever since Joe and I left Sheriff Coffee\u2019s office yesterday morning.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019m no closer to a satisfactory answer NOW than I was then.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Joe and I came upon them, Lil was the one holding the rifle,\u201d Ben said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLaura . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He sighed and shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe was just sitting there on a fallen log, her arms wrapped tightly around herself, staring up at me like a lost, frightened child.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s always been a lost, frightened child . . . in one way or another.\u00a0\u00a0 Right after Frank died, I wanted to take her in, protect and shelter her . . . see to it that nothing bad ever happened to her . . . or to Peggy . . . ever again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think a lot of people felt that way toward Laura, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut, most people weren\u2019t in position to ACT on it, as I was,\u201d Adam said contritely.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cFrank wasn\u2019t even cold in the grave before I stepped in, started advising her on financial and business matters, giving orders to her ranch hands, firing her foreman, telling her how to raise Peggy . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs I recall, Laura ASKED for your advice regarding business and financial matters, her ranch hands were for all intents and purposes getting paid to sit around, drink, and play cards all day, and her foreman refused to follow through on the few orders she DID give.\u00a0\u00a0 You were ALSO concerned . . . and rightly so . . . about the fact that Laura hadn\u2019t at that time told Peggy her father was dead,\u201d Ben adroitly recited the litany.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I had REALLY been as smart as I thought I was, I wouldn\u2019t have interfered, Pa.\u00a0 I would\u2019ve forced Laura to stand on her own two feet.\u00a0\u00a0 Both she AND Peggy would have been a lot better off right now if I had.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHind sight is often far clearer than foresight, but not in this case.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam glanced over at his father sharply.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf YOU hadn\u2019t stepped in, someone else WOULD have.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow can you be so sure?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA woman, and a man, too, for that matter, needs a certain core of inner strength in order to pull themselves up and stand on their own two feet.\u00a0\u00a0 Call it gut instinct, but I don\u2019t think Laura ever had that kind of inner resource . . . not then and certainly not now,\u201d Ben said somberly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf YOU hadn\u2019t stepped in, Laura would have turned to someone else.\u00a0\u00a0 And that someone else may have been unscrupulous enough to take advantage of her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs Lil has,\u201d Adam said with a touch of bitterness.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, but I\u2019m sure Laura has equally taken advantage of her aunt, too, over the years.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know.\u00a0\u00a0 I can see how that would be.\u00a0\u00a0 I think what really galls me is that Peggy\u2019s the one suffering all the consequences.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to find a way, Son, to free Peggy from her husband and his family, once and for all,\u201d Ben said with quiet conviction.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI can\u2019t tell you right now, how that\u2019s all going to work out, but I do know this.\u00a0\u00a0 Peggy DOES have that inner core of strength to fight, not only for herself, but for her baby.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Pa.\u00a0\u00a0 I know that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe only problem is . . . PEGGY needs to know that.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Lark Meredith rose shortly before sunrise, dreading the horrendous day that lay ahead.\u00a0\u00a0 As of late last night, he had gone down to the desk and checked one last time before finally retiring at shortly past one in the morning.\u00a0\u00a0 There had been no further word from Horace van Slyke.\u00a0\u00a0 He had used money from his own pocket to purchase that one way ticket to Carson City for Mrs. Dressler, then sent a messenger to their home instructing them to pick up the ticket at the Overland Stage Office.<\/p>\n

Lark had also withdrawn all that remained of his own personal savings and left it at the Overland Stage office, sealed in an envelope with Cameron Dressler\u2019s name hastily scrawled on the front.\u00a0\u00a0 There was also a note inside instructing the lodge caretaker to purchase the necessary supplies, enough staples to see them through until Horace van Slyke released the funds deposited in the bank here in Placerville.<\/p>\n

Last night, Brett van Slyke had thrown a royal fit to end all fits along with everything else he could lay his hands on, when Lark told him of the plans to relocate to the lodge.\u00a0\u00a0 The screaming, the obscenities, the unholy ruckus brought Nathan Jamison to the door in very short order . . . .<\/p>\n

\u201cMISTER MEREDITH, THIS IS FAR WORSE THAN ANY OF THE PREVIOUS INCIDENTS,\u201d Nathan had to shout at the top of his lungs in order to be heard.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI WANT MISTER VAN SLYKE AND EVERYONE ELSE IN HIS PARTY OUT OF HERE IMMEDIATELY.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Lark stepped out into the hallway, and closed the door firmly behind him, leaving Hoyt to deal with the rampaging younger van Slyke.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe have an agreement, Mister Jamison,\u201d he tersely reminded the manager.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCheck out is tomorrow morning at eleven sharp. \u00a0\u00a0We are not budging until then.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYou have fifteen minutes to quiet Mister van Slyke down,\u201d Jamison countered in a cold, angry tone.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIn SIXTEEN minutes, I send someone to fetch the sheriff, and THIS time, I can assure you, charges WILL be pressed.\u00a0\u00a0 Do I make myself clear, Mister Meredith?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cAs glass,\u201d Lark snapped.<\/em><\/p>\n

It took the better part of the next half hour to finally quiet the raging young man.\u00a0\u00a0 True to his promise, Nathan Jamison sent for the sheriff sixteen minutes later.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He reappeared at the door to Brett van Slyke\u2019s room, his face a veritable black thundercloud of fury, with the lawman in tow.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cSHERIFF, I DEMAND THAT YOU ARREST THAT MAN!\u201d\u00a0 Nathan screamed at the top of his voice.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWHAT\u2019S THE CHARGE?\u201d \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWILLFUL DESTRUCTION OF PRIVATE PROPERTY, DISTURBING THE PEACE, ASSAULT AND BATTERY . . . . \u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Again, Lark had left his employer\u2019s son to the tender mercies of Hoyt Pyle, in order to deal with the hotel manager and the sheriff.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cSheriff, Mister van Slyke is going through a horrendously difficult time,\u201d Lark pointedly ignored Nathan Jamison.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHis pregnant wife was been missing since the night of his birthday party, his father in San Francisco is ailing . . . . \u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cFrom what I saw of that room the night before Mrs. van Slyke\u2019s disappearance, she was probably murdered by her husband and her body dumped into the waters of Lake Tahoe,\u201d Nathan said, his voice dripping with acid sarcasm.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cOne more remark like that, Mister Jamison, and so help me, I\u2019ll haul your sorry ass into court and sue you for slander,\u201d Lark rounded on the small, wiry man, furiously.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cMister Meredith\u2019s right,\u201d the sheriff said blandly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cRemarks like that ain\u2019t helpful.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

This drew an icy, withering glare from the hotel manager.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cTell ya what,\u201d the sheriff drawled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll go through, make note of all damages AND lost business due to the fracas, then I\u2019ll sit down with Mister Jamison here and figure up how much it\u2019ll cost t\u2019 fix or replace.\u00a0\u00a0 Seein\u2019 as how Mister van Slyke\u2019s understandably distraught, with his wife still missin\u2019, he\u2019s free t\u2019 go, IF he pays the damages, and for any lost business.\u00a0\u00a0 Is that fair \u2018nuff?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose it\u2019ll HAVE to do,\u201d Nathan said, taking no pains to conceal his anger and his disdain.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, then s\u2019pose we go \u2018n see . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 The sheriff reached out to open the door to Brett van Slyke\u2019s room.<\/em><\/p>\n

The door opened just enough for Hoyt Pyle to stick his head through, before the sheriff could so much as touch the doorknob.\u00a0\u00a0 His hair was mussed, and his face white as a sheet.\u00a0\u00a0 A rivulet of blood poured freely from a cut on the lower lip.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister Meredith, I . . . I can\u2019t manage him.\u00a0\u00a0 Y\u2019 gotta get a sawbones to knock him out, quick!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll go,\u201d the sheriff grunted.<\/em><\/p>\n

The local doctor came and heavily sedated the raging young man.\u00a0\u00a0 It took the combined efforts of Lark Meredith, Hoyt Pyle, Nathan Jamison, a bellhop, and three big, strapping men, who happened to be guests, to hold Brett van Slyke down.<\/em><\/p>\n

Nathan Jamison, his jacket torn, and his tie missing, turned and favored Lark Meredith with a look meant to kill.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cEleven o\u2019clock tomorrow morning, Mister Meredith,\u201d he said in a low, quiet voice that sent a shiver racing down the length of Lark\u2019s spine.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNot one second longer . . . . \u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Lark quickly washed, shaved, and dressed.\u00a0\u00a0 He thought for a moment of running down to the hotel restaurant for a bite of breakfast, then decided against it.\u00a0\u00a0 The sooner Brett van Slyke was moved to his new lodging and secured there, the better for all concerned.\u00a0\u00a0 He quickly packed up his razor, cup, and shaving soap, and set his luggage, a single, well worn carpet bag next to the door.\u00a0\u00a0 Grabbing his off-white hat from its place on the dresser, he left the room and made his way down stairs to the front desk, hoping that a telegram from San Francisco waited.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, Mister Meredith,\u201d the hotel clerk, a middle aged gentlemen by the name of Morty Convers shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo messages in your box.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mister Convers,\u201d Lark sighed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI understand Mister van Slyke is checking out this morning.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 The man\u2019s face and tone were carefully neutral.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u00a0\u00a0 Mister van Slyke decided to take time off and do some fishing,\u201d Lark lied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re headed for the lodge.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAny word as to the whereabouts of MRS. van Slyke?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have reason to believe that she\u2019s visiting with friends.\u00a0\u00a0 She\u2019ll be joining her husband at the lodge in a few days.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will begin preparing your bill now, Mister Meredith.\u00a0\u00a0 It will be ready when Mister van Slyke comes down to check out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lark nodded curtly, then trudged back upstairs to the room, occupied by Brett van Slyke.\u00a0\u00a0 He paused outside the closed door, and knocked.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome in, Meredith.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lark was mildly surprised to hear Brett\u2019s voice.\u00a0\u00a0 He opened the door and stepped inside.\u00a0\u00a0 His employer\u2019s son was up, and very nattily dressed in a gray linen three piece summer suit.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m almost ready,\u201d Brett said as he ran a brush through his thick, wavy hair.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s Mister Pyle?\u201d Lark asked warily.\u00a0\u00a0 The big caretaker was nowhere to be seen.<\/p>\n

\u201cI sent him to the bank with a draft,\u201d Brett replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cY-you sent him . . . t-to the bank?\u201d Lark echoed, stunned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou can\u2019t cash a bank draft without your father\u2019s ok . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got Father\u2019s permission to withdraw funds.\u00a0\u00a0 He sent his ok to loosen up the money bags at the bank in a telegram this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lark felt as though he had just taken a hard blow to his solar plexus.<\/p>\n

Brett reached into the inside pocket of his jacket, removed a folded piece of paper and carelessly tossed it down on the bed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cRead for yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lark picked up the paper and slowly unfolded it:<\/p>\n

\u201cBrett [stop]<\/p>\n

Releasing funds at First Mercantile [stop]\u00a0\u00a0 Use what you need [stop]\u00a0\u00a0 Second wire following [stop]\u00a0\u00a0 Present to Horace McGreevy at bank [stop]<\/p>\n

Hearing on mental competency of wife held [stop]\u00a0\u00a0 Declared mentally incompetent [stop]\u00a0\u00a0 Placed in your custody [stop]<\/p>\n

Wire on arrival in Virginia City [stop]<\/p>\n

Father [stop; end of message]\u201d<\/p>\n

Lark lowered the telegram with trembling hand, his face pale and eyes round with horror.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cV-Virginia City?\u00a0\u00a0 We\u2019re n-not going to Virginia . . . City?\u201d<\/p>\n

Brett\u2019s lips slowly curved upward, forming a malevolent smile, as he turned from the mirror over his dresser.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOh.\u00a0\u00a0 Didn\u2019t I tell you, Meredith?\u00a0\u00a0 There\u2019s been a change of plans.\u00a0\u00a0 We\u2019re not going to that damned lodge stuck out in the middle of nowhere.\u00a0\u00a0 We . . . ARE . . . going to Virginia City.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow look here . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

The smile faded into a glare of venomous, bitter hatred.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo, Meredith, YOU look here.\u00a0\u00a0 We\u2019re going to Virginia City so\u2019s I can fetch back my pretty Peggy, all nice \u2018n legal.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMister van Slyke, I said we were going to do this MY way,\u201d Lark said, his jaw tightening with anger and apprehension.<\/p>\n

\u201cI gave you three days to do it YOUR way, Meredith.\u00a0\u00a0 As of this morning, we do it MY way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lark blanched. \u00a0\u00a0\u201cN-no, don\u2019t . . . n-not like that . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI said we\u2019re fetching MY wife back . . . MY way,\u201d Brett maintained with a grim, stubborn determination.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to do it THAT way.\u00a0\u00a0 Didn\u2019t you read this telegram?\u00a0\u00a0 She\u2019s been placed in YOUR custody!\u00a0\u00a0 You don\u2019t have to do this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh!\u00a0\u00a0 There\u2019s something else I forgot t\u2019 tell you, Meredith.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He reached into his pocket and whipped out a small pistol.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re fired.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 With that, he squeezed the trigger.<\/p>\n

Lark Meredith\u2019s face contorted with agony as the bullet from Brett\u2019s pistol ripped into his abdomen.\u00a0\u00a0 He collapsed to the floor, his arms wrapped protectively around his wound, now bleeding profusely.\u00a0\u00a0 Brett noiselessly dropped to his knees beside Lark and removed the latter\u2019s pistol from its holster.\u00a0\u00a0 Rising to his feet, he fired toward the outside wall, then removed the remaining ammunition.<\/p>\n

\u201cBrett . . . p-lease . . . don\u2019t d-do this.\u00a0\u00a0 G-go to the sh-sheriff, please.\u00a0\u00a0 Sh-show him your papers . . . he\u2019ll h-have to . . . have t-to help you . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t need no sheriff or no damn papers,\u201d Brett said coldly as he tossed Lark\u2019s gun down on the floor within reach, \u201cand I sure as hell don\u2019t need YOU.\u201d<\/p>\n

A loud, frantic pounding on the door drew a sharp glance from Brett.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWho is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoyt Pyle, Mister van Slyke.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCome in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoyt opened the door and walked in.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI have the money you— \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He abruptly stopped mid-sentence, upon seeing Lark Meredith lying on the floor, ominously still, blood flowing freely up under the hand clutching the wound.<\/p>\n

\u201cGet the sheriff, Pyle,\u201d Brett said quietly, as he held out his hand for the money.<\/p>\n

Hoyt handed over the cash.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWh-what happened, Sir?\u00a0\u00a0 Are you alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMeredith and I got into a . . . disagreement over our travel plans for today.\u00a0\u00a0 He pulled a gun and fired.\u00a0\u00a0 I fired back.\u00a0\u00a0 I had no choice.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another knock on the door, loud and insistent, drew Hoyt\u2019s attention from Brett and Lark.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes?\u00a0\u00a0 Who is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMister van Slyke, I am Mister Jamison, hotel manager.\u00a0\u00a0 I have the sheriff with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cN-no . . . lying!\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 H-he\u2019s . . . lying,\u201d Lark protested, his feebleness increasing.<\/p>\n

Brett delivered a hard, swift kick to the small of Lark\u2019s back.\u00a0\u00a0 The wounded man gasped.\u00a0\u00a0 A soft gurgle issued from somewhere deep in his throat, an instant before he lost consciousness.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet them in, Pyle.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lark Meredith, who incredibly remained alive though unconscious, was carried down to the doctor\u2019s office a block away by the deputy and three strong bell hops from the hotel.<\/p>\n

\u201cSheriff, I want Mister Meredith to receive the best medical care possible,\u201d Brett said earnestly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou may instruct the doc to send his bills to my attention at the International Hotel in Virginia City.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ll be THERE for the next two or three days.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s very magnanimous of you, Mister van Slyke, seein\u2019 as t\u2019 how Mister Meredith tried to KILL you,\u201d the sheriff drawled.<\/p>\n

Brett van Slyke frowned, and slowly drew his fingers one by one into a pair of tight, rock hard fists.<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Meredith HAS been under a terrible strain for quite awhile, Sheriff,\u201d Hoyt Pyle immediately stepped in.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCompulsive poker player, has been for years.\u00a0\u00a0 Doesn\u2019t know when to stop, if you know what I mean?\u201d<\/p>\n

The sheriff nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI know whatcha mean all too well, Mister Pyle.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe van Slyke family had been covering his debts whenever Mister Meredith got in over his head, which, I\u2019m ashamed to say was quite often,\u201d Hoyt continued in a smooth tone, dropping his voice slightly to a confidential decibel.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAbout three, maybe four months before Mister van Slyke and his wife arrived in Placerville, his father, the ELDER Mister van Slyke sent Mister Meredith a letter, I think it was actually from a lawyer, telling him that the van Slykes would no longer bail him out of his poker debts.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see,\u201d the sheriff murmured thoughtfully.<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Meredith apparently disregarded the letter from Mister van Slyke\u2019s father,\u201d Hoyt continued with just enough wistfulness.\u00a0\u00a0 He sighed softly, and shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cA bit more than a month ago, the elder Mister van Slyke got a letter from the bank, where he keeps his deposits, informing him of discrepancies in totals.\u00a0\u00a0 He sent his son to come here \u2018n check things out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brett favored Hoyt with a bright smile, filled with sunshine.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI found out Mister Meredith had been embezzling funds from my father\u2019s account,\u201d he himself took up the tale.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI confronted him the night of my birthday party.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019m afraid things got pretty hot \u2018n heavy.\u00a0\u00a0 I apologize for that sheriff.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou paid for the damages,\u201d the sheriff grunted.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAny word as to the whereabouts of Mrs. van Slyke?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a matter of fact, yes,\u201d Brett said, his warm smile a stark contrast against the stiff, rigid way he held his body, with arms poker straight at his side, and fists still clenched.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAn associate of mine over Virginia City way . . . you may know him, Sheriff, seems everyone \u2018round here does . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s his name?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCartwright.\u00a0\u00a0 Mister Benjamin Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPonderosa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Brett nodded.\u00a0 \u201cYou know him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know OF him,\u201d the sheriff replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLike you just said yourself, Mister Cartwright\u2019s pretty well known \u2018round this neck of the woods.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it turns out that my wife and mother-in-law knew the Cartwrights very well, when they lived near Virginia City many years ago,\u201d Brett said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister Cartwright wired me just this morning to let me know that Peggy\u2019s with THEM . . . safe \u2018n sound.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cToo bad Mister Cartwright didn\u2019t think to wire you before this,\u201d the sheriff remarked with a touch of sarcasm.<\/p>\n

\u201cSheriff, as you know, my wife\u2019s . . . well, in the family way,\u201d Brett said, his smile rapidly fading.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe lost two babies . . . miscarriages, both of \u2018em . . . and unfortunately it\u2019s left her quite unbalanced.\u00a0\u00a0 I should never have brought her here, Sheriff.\u00a0\u00a0 I regret having done so with . . . with every fiber of my being.\u00a0\u00a0 I just thought, hoped, maybe a change of scene, new faces might restore her equilibrium.\u00a0\u00a0 I was very sadly mistaken.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou meant well, Mister van Slyke,\u201d the sheriff said quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201cSince Peggy\u2019s been pregnant again . . . . \u201d Brett let his voice trail ominously into silence.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t think she honestly knows what\u2019s real, and what\u2019s made up by her crafty, devious li\u2019l mind.\u00a0\u00a0 Unfortunately, she CAN be quite convincing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe must\u2019ve told Mister Cartwright you were out t\u2019 git \u2018er, or something,\u201d the sheriff remarked thoughtfully.<\/p>\n

\u201cI cringe t\u2019 think what horror stories she\u2019s fabricated for Mister Cartwright, but as I just said, she can be very convincing.\u00a0\u00a0 Seeing as how she and the Cartwrights are old friends, while I\u2019VE never met the man . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI understand,\u201d the sheriff said, nodding once again.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank goodness Mister Cartwright\u2019s somehow realized that there\u2019s something amiss with Mrs. van Slyke, and thought to wire her husband,\u201d Hoyt added.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll\u2019s well that ends well, Mister van Slyke,\u201d the sheriff said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll need to know where I can reach you if I need you to testify against Mister Meredith, once he\u2019s well enough to stand trial.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brett grimaced at the thought of returning to his god-forsaken patch of wilderness stuck in the middle of nowhere, far away from the luxuries he had long ago come to define as the necessities of life.\u00a0 \u201cYou can ask Mister McGreevy over at the bank to wire my father\u2019s lawyer in San Francisco, if you need me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn that case, Mister van Slyke, you and Mister Pyle are free to go,\u201d the sheriff said.<\/p>\n

Brett glanced up at the clock hanging on the wall behind the desk in the sheriff\u2019s office.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister Pyle and I will be in plenty of time to catch the ten a.m. stage outta Placerville.\u00a0\u00a0 I expect we\u2019ll be in Virginia City around this time tomorrow morning . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cAdam . . . Uncle Ben, I want to go with you.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 The next day, early, Peggy, still clad in a nightshirt and robe, borrowed from Joe and Teresa respectively, stood at the foot of the dining room table, with arms folded across her chest, glaring at both father and son.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeggy, there\u2019s no need for you to come,\u201d Adam said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPa and I can . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Adam,\u201d Peggy stubbornly stood her ground.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThis is MY fight.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s high time I started fighting it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben and Adam stared up at Peggy for a long moment, their faces twin masks of shock and amazement.<\/p>\n

\u201cDay before yesterday, your aunt was out there shooting at us. \u00a0\u00a0Today, it might be Brett,\u201d Adam protested, the minute he found his voice.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo, Peggy, it\u2019s much too dangerous for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s much too dangerous for you, too, Adam . . . and YOU, Uncle Ben . . . and for everyone else in this house,\u201d Peggy said firmly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMaybe Brett IS out there, waiting, but I want to tell you both something.\u00a0\u00a0 After . . . after reading those articles Teresa gave me?\u00a0\u00a0 The ones about Rosemary O\u2019Malley?\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019d much rather he shot me down in cold blood out there on the road than have to go back with him . . . in HIS custody.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeggy\u2019s absolutely right.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam and Ben looked up and saw Teresa standing behind Peggy, with her hands resting lightly on the younger woman\u2019s shoulders.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t argue against BOTH of you,\u201d Adam sighed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll have Candy unhitch the buckboard and hitch up the buggy,\u201d Ben said, rising.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeggy, why don\u2019t you come on upstairs with me,\u201d Teresa invited with a smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI think I might have something that would be suitable to wear for going into town.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Ben, Adam, and Peggy arrived at the office of Lucas Milburn, Esquire at a few minutes past eleven o\u2019clock.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019t the two of you go on inside?\u201d Adam suggested.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll join you in a few minutes after I tether the horses.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right,\u201d Ben agreed.\u00a0\u00a0 He alighted from the buggy, then turned and carefully helped Peggy to get down.<\/p>\n

Inside, they found Lucas Milburn waiting for them.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCome in, Ben,\u201d the lawyer invited his old friend and client.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve been expecting you since Paul Martin gave me that wire from Doctor Phillips a couple o\u2019 days ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you,\u201d Ben nodded politely.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLucas, this is Peggy van Slyke . . . the young lady I told you about a few days ago.\u00a0\u00a0 Peggy, my lawyer, Mister Milburn.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease come in, Mrs. van Slyke, and sit down.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy and Ben seated themselves in the two plush chairs,\u00a0 placed directly in front of the lawyer\u2019s massive desk.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, will be joining us in a few minutes,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n

\u201cM-Mister Milburn?\u201d Peggy ventured hesitantly.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mrs. van Slyke?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are my chances?\u00a0\u00a0 Of divorcing Brett AND getting custody of our child?\u00a0\u00a0 I . . . I have to know.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lucas studied her face, set with an angry, rock like determination, for a moment.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTo be honest, we\u2019re fighting an up hill battle all the way . . . at best.\u00a0\u00a0 You add the van Slyke family fortune, and this . . . this travesty of a competency hearing, the slope\u2019s gotten even steeper,\u201d the lawyer said soberly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s just getting the divorce.\u00a0\u00a0 Getting you custody of your child\u2019s going to make things that much harder.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Mister Milburn.\u00a0\u00a0 I had to know what I\u2019m facing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBen, how much longer do you think Adam\u2019s going to be?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m getting a mite concerned, actually,\u201d Ben said with an anxious frown.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOur buggy\u2019s right out front.\u00a0\u00a0 All he was going to do was tether the horses.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps some other matter came up requiring his attention,\u201d Lucas suggested, hoping to ease his friend\u2019s anxiety.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhy don\u2019t we get started?\u00a0\u00a0 I can recap for Adam later, when we . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

The sound of someone pounding insistently on the door interrupted the lawyer mid-sentence.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on in, Adam,\u201d Lucas invited.<\/p>\n

The door opened slowly.\u00a0\u00a0 Adam\u2019s inert body was thrown into the room, bound hand and foot.\u00a0\u00a0 Blood flowed like a swift river from an open wound on the back of his head, congealing and matting in his raven locks as it dried.<\/p>\n

\u201cADAM!\u201d Ben cried, as he leapt to his feet with lightening swiftness.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow you hold on right there, Mister Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben glanced up sharply and found himself looking into a pair of eyes, blacker than even the darkness of the deepest mining tunnel.\u00a0\u00a0 There was no light, no life.\u00a0\u00a0 He shuddered, unable to help himself.<\/p>\n

Peggy felt the blood literally drain right out of her face, upon hearing and recognizing that voice.\u00a0\u00a0 Her fingers wrapped around the ends of her chair arms and squeezed so hard, her knuckles turned snow white.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOh, God, please . . . no,\u201d she moaned softly.<\/p>\n

The man entered the law office, armed with a rifle.\u00a0\u00a0 He quietly closed the door, then looked over at Peggy and favored her with a brittle, mirthless smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhy hello, Pretty Peggy, M\u2019 Dear!\u201d he said by way of greeting.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c \u2018N here I thought sure ol\u2019 Jake was joshin\u2019 when he told me he saw ya comin\u2019 in here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMister van Slyke, so help me . . . if my son . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Brett raised his weapon, taking dead aim at Ben\u2019s chest.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYour concern for your boy\u2019s touching, Mister Cartwright.\u00a0\u00a0 Most touching, indeed!\u00a0\u00a0 Why, it just warms the very cockles o\u2019 my heart, it really does.\u00a0\u00a0 But I\u2019m having a reunion here . . . a reunion with my loving wife, whom I haven\u2019t seen in nearly a WEEK now, so I\u2019d advise ya to sit down and keep your mouth shut.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He turned at glared over at Lucas Milburn.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat goes f\u2019r you, too, Lard Bucket.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lucas, his face pale and hands trembling, slowly lowered himself back down in his chair.<\/p>\n

Peggy rose slowly and stepped back away from her chair.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBrett, I\u2019m not going with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAawww, now don\u2019t be difficult, Peggy . . . my Pretty Peggy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean it, Brett.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs THAT any way t\u2019 greet a loving husband who\u2019s been worried sick about you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI doubt that!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess I can\u2019t blame ya for being angry, \u2018n all, Darling, but I promise ya, Peggy . . . I promise ya, my word \u2018n honor . . . things\u2019ll be different.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Brett.\u00a0\u00a0 I said I\u2019m not going with you, and I mean it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The brittle smile relaxed into an angry sneer.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d strongly suggest ya change your mind, Pretty Peggy, \u2018cause if ya don\u2019t?\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019m gonna kill your friend here.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He gave the unconscious Adam a hard swift kick in the rib cage for emphasis.<\/p>\n

Ben was out of his chair and half way across the room before Brett even realized.\u00a0\u00a0 Upon finally catching Ben\u2019s movements out of the corner of his eyes, he pivoted and raised the rifle once again.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not gonna tell ya again, Mister Cartwright.\u00a0\u00a0 SIT DOWN.\u201d<\/p>\n

Seething with rage and frustration, Ben returned to his chair and sat town, poised on the edge.\u00a0\u00a0 Every muscle in his body was tensed, ready to spring.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere!\u201d Brett tossed a length of rope over toward Peggy.\u00a0\u00a0 It landed in the chair she had just occupied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMake yourself useful, an\u2019 tie these two up.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He nodded toward Ben and Lucas.<\/p>\n

Peggy stood unmoving, as if she had just taken root.<\/p>\n

\u201cG\u2019won!\u00a0\u00a0 Do as I say!\u201d Brett snapped.<\/p>\n

Peggy stepped over toward the chair and picked up the rope in her trembling hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cBetter tie Mister Cartwright up first,\u201d Brett ordered, \u201cand while you\u2019re workin\u2019, you\u2019d better be doin\u2019 some real hard thinkin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s nothing to think about,\u201d Peggy replied in a wooden monotone.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yeah, there is.\u00a0\u00a0 Y\u2019 see, My Pretty Peggy, I got custody of ya.\u00a0\u00a0 I can just come in and take you away, no questions asked,\u201d Brett said in a low, menacing tone, as Peggy walked over toward Ben with the rope in both hands.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut, I don\u2019t want it like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow DO you want it?\u201d Peggy asked, her voice trembling with her own growing fear and anger.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want you to come with me, \u2018cause ya WANT to.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I DON\u2019T want to, Brett.\u00a0\u00a0 I don\u2019t want to go back with you.\u00a0\u00a0 I wish you\u2019d just go away and leave me alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t do that.\u00a0\u00a0 You\u2019re my wife.\u00a0\u00a0 I love ya.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLove!\u201d Peggy spat angrily.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou don\u2019t even know the meaning of the word.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou wound me, Pretty Peggy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI doubt it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou just keep on thinking things over,\u201d Brett said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ve got ten minutes to say you\u2019re gonna come with me.\u00a0\u00a0 If you refuse, I\u2019ll give you another ten minutes . . . AFTER, I kill him.\u201d<\/p>\n

He nudged Adam with his foot.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf after the next ten minutes, you don\u2019t decide to come with me, I\u2019ll kill Mister Cartwright, and ten minutes after THAT, I kill the lawyer.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He favored her with a malevolent smile that made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAnd it\u2019ll be all YOUR fault, My Pretty Little Peggy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeggy, don\u2019t listen to him,\u201d Ben said sotto voce, as she tied his hands together behind his back.<\/p>\n

Three brisk running steps brought Brett directly in front of Ben.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou . . . SHUT-UP!\u201d he screamed, as he balled his fingers into a tight, iron hard fist.\u00a0\u00a0 He lashed out, striking Ben across the face hard enough to rattle his teeth.<\/p>\n

\u201cBrett, stop it!\u201d Peggy snapped.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou won\u2019t get away with this, Mister van Slyke.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brett turned and glared over at the lawyer.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve gotta wire from my dear ol\u2019 daddy back home in San Francisco that says I CAN.\u00a0\u00a0 Y\u2019 see, I got custody o\u2019 Peggy now.\u00a0\u00a0 Me!\u00a0\u00a0 She\u2019s all mine!\u00a0\u00a0 I can take her anywhere I want.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou won\u2019t get away with murder.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brett laughed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat murder?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cKilling US . . . Ben, Adam, and ME in cold blood.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy quickly tied Ben\u2019s ankles, then rose, taking Ben\u2019s gun from its holster.\u00a0\u00a0 She quickly stepped to Ben\u2019s right, taking care to conceal the weapon in the folds of the jumper she wore.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBrett?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do YOU want?\u201d Brett turned and rounded on her furiously.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll go with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeggy, NO!\u201d Ben protested.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s . . . all right, Uncle Ben.\u00a0\u00a0 I don\u2019t want to see any of you killed.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ll go with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brett smiled triumphantly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMy buggy\u2019s outside.\u00a0\u00a0 You g\u2019won, get in it.\u00a0\u00a0 I got some business t\u2019 take care of first.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat business?\u201d Peggy asked, taking care to keep her voice calm and even.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust business!\u00a0\u00a0 Now g\u2019won, do as I tell ya.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s words, from the time they had played cowboys all those years ago, echoed back to the forefront of her mind and thoughts, just as clear now as they were the day he uttered them:\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPeggy, always remember, a good cowgirl NEVER draws her gun, UNLESS she intends to USE it.\u00a0\u00a0 You might end up NOT having to use it, and that\u2019s well and good.\u00a0\u00a0 But once you draw that gun, you must be prepared to follow through if you have to.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She tightened her fingers around the gun hidden within the folds of her jumper skirt.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cPeggy, GO!\u00a0\u00a0 NOW!\u201d<\/p>\n

Her eyes fell on Adam, lying ominously still at her feet, cruelly trussed up like a calf for branding.\u00a0\u00a0 She looked over at Ben.\u00a0\u00a0 He was sick with worry over Adam, and at the same time, desirous of wrapping his fingers around Brett\u2019s throat.\u00a0\u00a0 She had come to know all of those feelings intimately, through two miscarriages, and over the last five months with the child she now carried.\u00a0\u00a0 Her eyes moved to Lucas Milburn\u2019s face, set with a fatalistic resolve . . . waiting.<\/p>\n

\u201cPEGGY . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Finally, her eyes came to rest on Brett\u2019s face, a veritable mask of insane, murderous fury.\u00a0\u00a0 Looking into his eyes, she knew without even the slightest doubt that he intended to kill them . . . Adam, Uncle Ben, and Mister Milburn.<\/p>\n

\u201cPEGGY, YOU GET YOUR ASS OUTSIDE IN THAT BUGGY RIGHT NOW!\u201d\u00a0 Brett screamed, red faced, on the edge of hysteria.<\/p>\n

Peggy\u2019s heart thudded wildly in her chest.\u00a0\u00a0 She wavered, on the edge of fainting.<\/p>\n

\u201cAww, come on, Li\u2019l Love Bug.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Brett\u2019s face and tone abruptly changed.\u00a0\u00a0 The raw, murderous fury was suddenly gone, almost as if it had never been.\u00a0\u00a0 In its place was the face of a whipped puppy, eagerly returning to the master who had so cruelly abused it.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI promise ya, Peg, I\u2019ll do better . . . . \u201d he wheedled.<\/p>\n

Peggy squeezed her eyes shut against the sight of his face.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBrett, you\u2019ve made that promise to me so many times, I can\u2019t count them anymore.\u00a0\u00a0 Every time, every last time, you\u2019ve BROKEN that promise.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust one more chance, Li\u2019l Love Bug, please?\u00a0\u00a0 Pretty please?\u201d<\/p>\n

She was surprised at how much she desperately yearned to give him that one last chance he begged for so ardently.\u00a0\u00a0 In spite of all the chances she HAD given him, all the promises made only to be broken, a part of herself still longed to give him yet another chance.\u00a0\u00a0 Her eyelids lifted, and her hold on the weapon concealed in the folds of her skirt lessened.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou won\u2019t regret it, Peg, I swear . . . you won\u2019t regret it this time.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Smiling, sensing victory within his grasp, Brett stepped closer.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNow you, g\u2019won!\u00a0\u00a0 Get yourself out in that buggy.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ll be right out just as soon as I finish up in here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy looked into his face, her eyes meeting and locking onto his.\u00a0\u00a0 There, much to her horror, she saw his anger, his desire to murder burning with the same blinding intensity as the sun.\u00a0\u00a0 Her hand tightened once more on the gun.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo, Brett,\u201d she said very quietly, and very firmly.\u00a0\u00a0 She withdrew the gun from its place of concealment and aimed it square at his chest.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDrop that rifle right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brett gazed down at the gun in complete astonishment, then back up at her.\u00a0\u00a0 His smile twisted into a sneer.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCome on, Peg, quit the kiddin\u2019.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He took another step closer.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m NOT kidding, Brett, you stay right there where you are . . . and put down that rifle.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She took another step back.<\/p>\n

\u201cAww, Peg, you \u2018n I both know you\u2019re not gonna use that thing on me,\u201d Brett said as he continued moving toward her, with the same relentlessness of a cougar stalking its prey.\u00a0\u00a0 He put out his hand.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNow why don\u2019tcha hand it over, before someone gets hurt?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBrett, I told you no closer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brett laughed at her.<\/p>\n

Peggy, without further word, lowered the barrel of her weapon and squeezed the trigger.\u00a0\u00a0 The weapon discharged, sending a bullet tearing into Brett\u2019s thigh with enough force to knock him off his feet.\u00a0\u00a0 The rifle flew out of his hands, landing within inches of Ben\u2019s feet.<\/p>\n

Brett looked up at her, his eyes round with shocked horror and his lower jaw flapping uselessly.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou so much as bat an eyelash, Brett, the next bullet will find itself in your chest or your head.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Peggy\u2019s voice had a distinctly audible edge of steel.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister Milburn, would you please untie Mister Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019ll be my pleasure, Ma\u2019am.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Lucas moved out from behind his desk with astonishing swiftness, given a man of his bulk.\u00a0\u00a0 He immediately set to work freeing Ben\u2019s hands and feet.<\/p>\n

The instant Ben was free, he bent down and seized Brett\u2019s rifle in both hands.\u00a0\u00a0 He quickly aimed both barrels square at Brett\u2019s chest.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLucas, Peggy and I have him covered.\u00a0\u00a0 Get Sheriff Coffee, and please . . . send someone to fetch Doc Martin.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRight away, Ben.\u201d<\/p>\n

After Lucas left, Ben looked over at Peggy, astonishment mixing with a touch of pride and a generous portion of gratitude.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou saved our lives, Peggy,\u201d he said simply.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

On the floor, Adam groaned softly and began to stir.\u00a0\u00a0 Peggy and Ben both glanced upward for a brief second and whispered a heartfelt\u00a0 \u201cThank YOU\u201d\u00a0 in unison.<\/p>\n

Peggy glanced down at Brett.\u00a0\u00a0 He remained exactly where he fell staring up at her as he might a stranger.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cUncle Ben?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cY-yes, Peggy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got Brett well covered, if you want to look after Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben immediately placed the rifle on Lucas Milburn\u2019s desk.\u00a0\u00a0 He paused to nod his thanks to Peggy, before dropping to his knees beside his oldest.<\/p>\n

\u201cP-Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all right, Adam, you lie still,\u201d Ben said, his voice unsteady.<\/p>\n

\u201cM-my head hurts.\u00a0\u00a0 Wha\u2014 happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat, Son, is quite a story,\u201d Ben replied as he set to work untying the knots that bound Adam\u2019s wrists together.\u00a0\u00a0 He looked up at Peggy and smiled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI think I\u2019ll let the heroine of the tale tell you as soon as you\u2019re feeling better.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cAdam . . . are you SURE you want to do this?\u201d<\/p>\n

Upstairs, in the bedroom he and his wife shared in the house where he spent his adolescence and much of his young adult years, Adam stopped, and turned with stiff, agonized slowness to face Teresa, standing behind him.\u00a0\u00a0 His smile, pained and forced, was meant to reassure.\u00a0\u00a0 It did nothing of the sort.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYes, Teresa, I WANT to do this . . . very much.\u201d<\/p>\n

His slow, torturous gait, that poker stiff posture, the stiff smile made her wince.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be fine, Teresa,\u201d he promised, duly noting the naked anxiety in her face and eyes.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHonest!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPromise?\u201d she queried in a small voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cI cross my heart.\u201d<\/p>\n

Two weeks ago, Adam, his father, and Peggy went to Lucas Milburn\u2019s office, to find out what Peggy\u2019s options were and to begin setting them in motion.\u00a0\u00a0 There, on the street just outside, Brett van Slyke, Peggy\u2019s husband, had taken him wholly and completely unaware.\u00a0\u00a0 One minute he was securing the horses to the hitching post, the next he was bound hand and foot, staring up into Pa\u2019s anxious face.\u00a0\u00a0 Later on that evening, after supper,\u00a0 Peggy had supplied both himself and Teresa with the intervening details.\u00a0\u00a0 Adam was flabbergasted when she came to the part about borrowing Pa\u2019s gun and shooting Brett in the leg, and every bit as proud of her, for her courage and quick thinking, as he would have been of his own daughter, Dio.<\/p>\n

In the days that followed, neither Adam, Teresa, nor any of the other members of the Cartwright family could help BUT notice a new quality strength and confidence in Peggy\u2019s voice and in the way she carried herself.\u00a0\u00a0 Adam had known that she had this kind of strength within, from the time she was a child.\u00a0\u00a0 Now SHE knew.<\/p>\n

Though Adam\u2019s head wound had almost completely healed, he suffered a couple of fractured ribs when Brett kicked him.\u00a0\u00a0 Doctor Martin had dutifully done all HE could.\u00a0\u00a0 He bound Adam\u2019s torso so tight, drawing a deep breath became a difficult task, at best.\u00a0\u00a0 The doctor sternly admonished Adam to rest.<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . perhaps the many years you\u2019ve been away from the Ponderosa and from certain influences will incline you to follow doctor\u2019s orders, unlike others I could name . . . . \u201d Paul Martin delivered the words of that last injunction with a stern, pointed glare at his father, whose subsequent feigned innocence was almost comical.<\/p>\n

Doctor Martin had also dispensed a strong painkiller, \u201cto be used ONLY when absolutely necessary.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 The long, interminable ride home from the doctor\u2019s office in town over the bumpy dirt road leading from Virginia City to the Ponderosa was one of those absolutely necessary times.<\/p>\n

All in all, that first week might have actually been tolerable despite of his injuries, had it not been for Hop Sing\u2019s malodorous poultices, all applied with the blessing of Doctor Martin,\u00a0 and being forced to share close quarters with a young sister, impatiently recovering from her own injuries.\u00a0\u00a0 Last Friday afternoon, the good doctor had stopped by to look in on Adam, Stacy, and Peggy . . . .<\/p>\n

\u201cStacy, by all the medical authority vested in me, I now pronounce you fully recovered,\u201d Paul declared with a broad grin.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThank heaven!\u201d Adam\u2019s sardonic response shot right out from between his lips without his even thinking.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cA . . . <\/em>MEN <\/em>!\u201d\u00a0 Stacy immediately retorted, favoring her brother with a murderous glare.\u00a0\u00a0 She then returned her attention to the doctor.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDoctor Martin, you didn\u2019t tell me!\u00a0\u00a0 Can I ride Sun Dancer in the Independence Day Race in two weeks?\u201d she posed her question, then anxiously held her breath.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/em>I <\/em>see no reason why not, just so long as you don\u2019t take anymore nasty spills off of Blaze Face, Sun Dancer, or any OTHER horse, Young La\u2014 \u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Stacy turned the same murderous glare on the good doctor, that she had on Adam a scant moment before.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201c . . . er, uhh make that Young WOMAN!\u201d\u00a0 Paul quickly amended, trying very hard not to smile.<\/em><\/p>\n

Satisfied with the doctor\u2019s answer to her question and his immediate correction of address, Stacy let<\/em> out a deafening, \u201cYEEEEEE\u00a0 HA!\u201d then bolted for the great outdoors.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cDoctor Martin, you have my undying gratitude,\u201d Adam said with a sarcastic roll of his eyes.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat can I say, Adam?\u201d Paul said with a shrug.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYour sister\u2019s a very lovely young woman, EXCEPT when she\u2019s recovering from illness or injury.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Ben, who had been sitting quietly on the settee through out the exchange, shook his head, chuckling.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI sure can\u2019t disagree\u00a0 with you on THAT score, Paul.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Adam rose stiffly from the blue chair next to the fireplace and glared down at Ben, seated on the settee.\u00a0 \u201cPa, I\u2019M ready to throttle her!\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 How can YOU sit there and . . . and laugh like that?\u201d \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cVery easy, Son,\u201d Ben retorted without missing a beat.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m also remembering a certain young man, oohhh around the same age Stacy is NOW, who fell and sprained his ankle while he was out hunting about a month before the first time HE rode in the Virginia City Independence Day Race.\u00a0\u00a0 If I remember correctly, there was some question as to whether or not he was going to be able to ride Beauty, that new horse of his.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cAtalanta, Pa, NOT Beauty,\u201d Adam said sullenly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBeauty was later.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, as I recall, that young man was fit to be tied, too, until the doctor could tell HIM whether or not he\u2019d be able to race Atalanta,\u201d Ben continued.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cAww, come on, Pa.\u00a0\u00a0 I was no where NEAR as difficult to live with as Stacy has been this past week,\u201d Adam vigorously protested.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s quite true.\u00a0\u00a0 You WERE no where near as difficult to live with as your sister has been this past week.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

A smug, triumphant smile slowly spread across Adam\u2019s lips.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d say you\u00a0 were at least ten times WORSE,\u201d Ben declared with a broad grin.<\/em><\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s smile quickly evaporated into a dark scowl.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI most certainly and assuredly was NOT.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cOh yeah you were, Adam,\u201d Hoss immediately chimed in.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, it\u2019s a well known fact that as person gets OLDER, the memory grows dimmer,\u201d Joe added.\u00a0\u00a0 His eyes twinkled with mischievous bedevilment.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou and I need to refresh our OLDEST brother\u2019s faulty memory.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s NOT necessary.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, it\u2019s not necessary, Adam, but it IS the well-mannered, courteous thing to do,\u201d Joe returned.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIt certainly is,\u201d Teresa agreed wholeheartedly, \u201cand besides.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019d like to hear all about this myself.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cHey!\u201d Adam growled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re supposed to be on MY side . . . . \u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI AM on your side,\u201d Teresa said favoring her husband with a bemused look.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry.\u00a0\u00a0 I had no idea I was thinking aloud,\u201d Adam said, as the last vestiges of reverie faded from his mind and thoughts.<\/p>\n

\u201cNeed some help getting down the stairs?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shook his head, wincing as stiff, sore muscles protested the move.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI can manage.\u201d<\/p>\n

Teresa nodded and moved in front of him.\u00a0\u00a0 Adam and Teresa descended the stairs together, slowly, the latter keeping herself three steps ahead.\u00a0\u00a0 This morning, he was nattily dressed in the same gray cotton suit he had worn as best man at Matt and Clarissa Wilson\u2019s wedding, going on two months ago now.\u00a0\u00a0 Thank goodness Hop Sing had successfully removed all the wedding cake and icing, end results of a cake fight in which he and his youngest brother had become embroiled during the reception.<\/p>\n

Ben and Peggy, both seated on the settee, waiting patiently, rose and turned expectantly toward the stairs, just as Teresa and Adam reached the bottom step.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben was also well dressed this morning, in his own gray linen suit, fresh pressed and starched white shirt, and navy blue tie.\u00a0\u00a0 Peggy wore the first of Mrs. Pomeroy\u2019s creations, a loose fitting cotton jumper, the same color green as tree leaves at the height of summer.\u00a0\u00a0 She also wore a white long sleeved blouse, with a sash for a collar, tied in a bow.<\/p>\n

\u201cLooks like were all ready,\u201d Ben said, as he and Peggy joined Adam and Teresa.<\/p>\n

The front door opened.\u00a0\u00a0 Joe entered, grinning from ear to ear.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPeggy, your chariot awaits,\u201d he declared, as he offered her his arm.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Joe,\u201d Peggy took his arm with a warm smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou know, you\u2019re starting to sound a little bit like Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t look now, Folks, but I think I\u2019ve just been insulted,\u201d Joe retorted good-naturedly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know I<\/strong> have,\u201d Adam quipped, without missing a beat.<\/p>\n

Outside, Joe dutifully held the horses while Ben helped Peggy to climb up into the buggy first, then Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe . . . Teresa, I don\u2019t know when we\u2019re going to get back, but we should certainly be home by suppertime,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019d better be, Pa,\u201d Joe said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHop Sing\u2019s been cooking up a special supper to celebrate since the crack of dawn this morning.<\/p>\n

Ben climbed up into the buggy, and took up the reins.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe certainly have a lot to celebrate,\u201d he declared, before setting off.<\/p>\n

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

A companionable silence descended upon the trio as they made their way to Virginia City.\u00a0\u00a0 Adam leaned back against the seat, closed his eyes, and allowed his thoughts to drift back once more to that last trip to Lucas Milburn\u2019s office.\u00a0\u00a0 He had vague memories of his father and Mister Milburn untying his hands and feet, then carefully helping him up off the floor over to the plush chair behind the lawyer\u2019s desk.\u00a0\u00a0 Peggy stood, tall and proud, glaring down at Brett like a veritable Bellona, the Roman Goddess of War.\u00a0\u00a0 She held his father\u2019s gun firmly in hand, her chin set with a fierce, stubborn determination, and the hard glint of steel in her vivid blue eyes.<\/p>\n

Brett van Slyke never moved from the spot where he fell, after Peggy had put that bullet in his thigh.\u00a0\u00a0 His mouth hung open slightly.\u00a0\u00a0 Though his eyes were glued to Peggy\u2019s face, his focus was elsewhere, many, many miles away.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Adam remembered his father telling him later that, when Sheriff Coffee came, Brett offered no resistance.\u00a0\u00a0 In fact, he never moved, never so much as batted an eyelash.\u00a0\u00a0 Clem Foster and another man lifted and carried him down to the jail, after Doctor Martin had examined him.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was like a dead man walking, Adam,\u201d Ben had told him privately, the following morning.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHis heart\u2019s still beating, he walks if someone leads him by the hand, he even eats if someone feeds him, but . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Ben shuddered, \u201cthat vital part of himself, that makes him . . . that makes all of us the people we are, each different from everyone else . . . is gone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam was reminded, then, of Ross and Delphine Marquett, old friends, now many years dead.\u00a0\u00a0 He and Ross had been the best of friends since they were children.\u00a0\u00a0 When Ross married Delphine, Adam had the honor of serving as best man.\u00a0\u00a0 Five years after the wedding, Ross began to grow jealously possessive of Delphine, beating her for offenses, mostly imagined.\u00a0\u00a0 At the same time, a deep-seated hatred for Adam took root and festered.\u00a0\u00a0 Ross murdered Delphine in a jealous fit of rage, and shot down four men in cold blood in the course of a stagecoach robbery.<\/p>\n

In the end, Adam was finally forced to kill Ross Marquett in self-defense.\u00a0\u00a0 But, in those last, final moments before death, Ross, the Ross HE knew, was back.\u00a0\u00a0 He had no memory of the preceding ten months, no memory of having killed Delphine, or of trying to kill Adam.\u00a0\u00a0 Ross didn\u2019t even know he was mortally wounded. \u00a0\u00a0Adam remembered the words of the doctor he consulted, regarding Ross\u2019 mental deterioration.\u00a0\u00a0 Insanity was akin to the person stepping through a dark gate.\u00a0\u00a0 Had that also happened to Brett van Slyke at some point along the way . . . . ?\u00a0 [v]<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u00a0\u00a0 Adam, were here.\u201d<\/p>\n

The sound of Peggy\u2019s voice drew Adam from his melancholy musings.<\/p>\n

\u201cWake up, Adam,\u201d Ben said quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wasn\u2019t sleeping, exactly, just lost in thought.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded, then alighted from the buggy.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPeggy, why don\u2019t you go ahead in,\u201d he suggested after helping her down.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTell Mister Milburn that Adam and I will be in directly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure thing, Uncle Ben.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben stood watch as Adam, at his own insistence, climbed down from the buggy.\u00a0\u00a0 Lucas Milburn met them at the door.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBen . . . Adam, please come in,\u201d he invited them with a warm, and\u00a0 weary smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cEveryone else is already here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Inside the lawyer\u2019s office, two men, both strangers sat primly in chairs placed side by side, perpendicular to Lucas Milburn\u2019s desk.\u00a0\u00a0 Peggy occupied the padded chair, directly opposite the two men.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben and Adam both were surprised to see that Laura Dayton was also present.\u00a0\u00a0 Clad in the blue suit she had worn the day she and Aunt Lil visited the Ponderosa, she stood demurely behind the chair in which Peggy sat, with head bowed, with hands clasped in front of her.<\/p>\n

\u201cLaura . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

She glanced up sharply upon hearing Adam speak her name.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cH-hello, Adam . . . Ben,\u201d she greeted them with a timorous voice and a rueful smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf . . . if you don\u2019t want me here, I\u2019ll leave . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLaura, speaking for myself, I\u2019m glad you came,\u201d Adam said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re more than welcome to stay . . . if it\u2019s alright with Peggy, of course.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSee, Mother?\u201d Peggy looked up at Laura and smiled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI TOLD you it would be ok.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease . . . sit down,\u201d Adam invited, gesturing toward the empty chair next to Peggy.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought I\u2019d save that for you, Adam,\u201d Laura said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI heard you\u2019d been injured recently . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She suddenly broke off, and looked away.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Laura, I appreciate your thoughtfulness,\u201d Adam said in all sincerity as he sat down beside Peggy.<\/p>\n

\u201cBen . . . Adam, this is Mister Horace van Slyke . . . . \u201d Lucas nodded to the elder of the two strangers, \u201cand his lawyer, Alistair Farnell.\u00a0\u00a0 Mister van Slyke and Mister Farnell, this is Mister Adam Cartwright, Mrs. van Slyke\u2019s advisor, and his father, Mister Benjamin Cartwright.\u00a0\u00a0 I understand you both already know Mrs. Dayton.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cool, polite nods were exchanged, by way of acknowledging the introductions.<\/p>\n

The man introduced as Horace van Slyke\u00a0 was a small, fragile man, his body thin, and emaciated.\u00a0\u00a0 He appeared to be roughly the same age as Ben, maybe a little older, with iron gray hair, that encircled\u00a0 the sides and back of his head with a halo of fine wispy tendrils leaving his crown of his head completely bare.\u00a0\u00a0 His face, cadaverously pale and deeply lined, with sunken cheeks, and perpetual down turned mouth, rigidly set, lent him the appearance of one always weary.\u00a0\u00a0 His grayish white eyebrows, locked in a permanent scowl were a disturbing contrast to his sharp, piercing black eyes, round and staring, like those of a frightened boy caught with his arm shoulder deep in the cookie jar.<\/p>\n

Horace van Slyke\u2019s frail appearance shocked Adam.\u00a0\u00a0 Surely a man capable of sweeping a murder under the proverbial rug by having the death in question declared a suicide, and having a daughter-in-law declared mentally incompetent in a court of law because she sought to extricate herself from a life threatening situation, would project a more imposing presence.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow that everyone is FINALLY here . . . . \u201d Horace van Slyke directed a withering glare in the general direction of Adam and Peggy, \u201cmaybe we can get on with things.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ve got a stage to catch this afternoon.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alistair Farnell, a big, robust man with jet-black hair, poker straight and full beard, all neatly trimmed, opened the leather briefcase on his lap and extricated a six-page document.\u00a0 \u201cMister van Slyke has agreed to allow Mrs. Peggy van Slyke to divorce her husband, Brett van Slyke, on grounds of adultery and cruelty,\u201d he began.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMrs. van Slyke will also have full custody of their unborn child.\u00a0\u00a0 No member of the van Slyke family will in any way interfere in the lives of Mrs. van Slyke and her child.\u00a0\u00a0 They also agree not to make any attempts to find or contact her, or the child until said child comes of age, and is legally able to decide for him or herself.<\/p>\n

\u201cBrett van Slyke has been released into the custody of his father.\u00a0\u00a0 He stands accused of assault and battery in Virginia City, Nevada; assault and battery, rape, and first-degree murder in San Francisco; and assault and battery, attempted rape, damage to private property, and murder in Placerville . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?!\u201d Horace protested in a vigorous tone at complete odds with his gaunt appearance.<\/p>\n

\u201cMurder, Mister van Slyke,\u201d Alistair reiterated.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI got word from Placerville earlier this morning that Mister Meredith finally died late last night.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought he was unconscious the whole time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt seems he briefly came to a few hours before he died.\u00a0\u00a0 In those few minutes, he named your son as the man who shot him, Sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought it was established that my son shot Mister Meredith in self defense,\u201d Horace snapped, his dark eyes burning with fury.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was, until the sheriff investigated the allegations both your son and Mister Pyle made concerning Mister Meredith, and found them all to be false.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m STILL well rid o\u2019 him!,\u201d Horace muttered bitterly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat Meredith was a damned incompetent fool!\u00a0\u00a0 Botched everything from start to finish.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat didn\u2019t entitle your son to take his life, Mister van Slyke.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Though Adam\u2019s words were calm, Ben and Peggy saw his lips thin and jaw tighten with anger.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo, ummm continue,\u201d Alistair said pointedly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCourt hearings will be held in all the afore mentioned jurisdictions to determine Brett van Slyke\u2019s mental competence.\u00a0\u00a0 In the meantime, pending the outcome of such hearings, Brett van Slyke will be kept confined. \u00a0\u00a0The last items include overturning the ruling against Mrs. van Slyke at the trial held to declare her mentally incompetent, and establishing a trust fund for the child.\u00a0\u00a0 Responsibility for managing said trust fund will be granted to the child\u2019s mother.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. van Slyke, are the terms agreeable to you?\u201d Lucas turned and looked over at her expectantly.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExcellent,\u201d Alistair said briskly, \u201call we need is your signature . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot so fast,\u201d Adam said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d like to look those documents over first.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alistair bristled, but handed the documents over to Adam.<\/p>\n

Horace van Slyke focused the intensity of his angry, withering glare solely on Adam.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou don\u2019t trust me, do you, Boy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam lowered the pages of the document in hand and returned Horace\u2019s glare with a particular look of disdain he, for the most part, used on his own children the times they very blatantly tried to put one over.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister van Slyke, taking the probable age of your son into account, you can\u2019t be all that much older than I am.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 His tone carried that subtle condescending note that had always set his youngest brother off, during their growing up years.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI would appreciate it if you addressed me as MISTER Cartwright, as would certainly be more appropriate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Horace averted his gaze away from Adam\u2019s face to his own hands, lying one over the other on top of a plain, unadorned mahogany cane.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs for the matter of trust, Mister van Slyke,\u201d Adam continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNeither Mrs. van Slyke nor I have any reason at all TO trust you.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He returned his attention to the documents.<\/p>\n

Ten minutes, passed, then fifteen.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben stopped counting the number of times Horace van Slyke pointedly took his watch from his pocket to check the time after the first dozen.\u00a0\u00a0 Finally Adam finished reading over the sixth and last page of the document.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cEverything APPEARS to be in order,\u201d he said slowly.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen let\u2019s get the damned thing signed,\u201d Horace snapped.<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Milburn, have YOU had a chance to look this document over?\u201d<\/p>\n

Lucas shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo, Adam, I haven\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore Mrs. van Slyke puts pen to paper on ANYTHING, I would like Mister Milburn to look over that document and advise us accordingly,\u201d Adam said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI agree with Mister Cartwright completely,\u201d Peggy added firmly.<\/p>\n

\u201cMister van Slyke is not used to having his integrity so harshly questioned,\u201d Alistair Farnell said, glaring over at Peggy, then Adam.<\/p>\n

Adam favoring Horace\u2019s lawyer with a thin, brittle smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAs I said before, neither Mrs. van Slyke nor I have any reason whatsoever to trust Mister van Slyke.\u00a0 Both of us agree that her interests are best served by erring on the side of prudence.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He handed the document over to his father, who in turn, passed it on to Lucas Milburn.<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Cartwright, I assure you . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I know.\u00a0\u00a0 That Mister van Slyke is an honest man, whose integrity is above reproach,\u201d Adam said in a wry tone.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI would also like to see a copy of that court order overturning the verdict of Mrs. van Slyke\u2019s mental incompetence.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alistair lapsed into a sullen silence, as he opened his briefcase and pulled out the document Adam had requested.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you,\u201d Adam nodded, accepting the proffered document.\u00a0\u00a0 He glanced over it, then nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI AM correct in assuming this is Mrs. van Slyke\u2019s copy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Alistair growled, reluctantly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI will look over these documents this afternoon,\u201d Lucas Milburn said as he gathered all of the papers together.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhere are you gentlemen staying?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the International Hotel,\u201d Alistair said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSplendid.\u00a0\u00a0 As I said, I will make these documents top priority,\u201d Lucas continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAssuming everything is in order, I\u2019ll bring these documents to you at the International Hotel for Mister van Slyke\u2019s signature.\u00a0\u00a0 After that, you\u2019re both free to catch that stage.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ll forward Mister van Slyke\u2019s copy of the agreement to San Francisco.\u00a0 Mrs.\u00a0 van Slyke\u2019s copies will remain with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Horace van Slyke rose stiffly, leaning heavily on his cane.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLet\u2019s go, Farnell,\u201d he snapped imperiously.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne MORE thing, Mister van Slyke,\u201d Adam said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMrs. van Slyke\u2019s financial advisor will be wiring instructions regarding the money to be placed in her child\u2019s trust fund.\u00a0\u00a0 We would appreciate it if you left the name and address of the individual responsible for handling the transfer of funds.\u201d<\/p>\n

Horace\u2019s entire body went rigid.\u00a0\u00a0 He turned slowly and favored Adam with an angry glare meant to kill.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI had planned to deposit that money in the financial institution with which I do most of my business.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat will be fine for the time being,\u201d Adam countered taking care to keep his tone measured and even.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHowever, Mrs. van Slyke does not intend to return to San Francisco.\u00a0\u00a0 Since she IS to be in control of the trust until her child comes of age, it would be far more practical to deposit those funds in a bank nearer to wherever she decides to establish residency.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou may instruct her financial advisor to wire his instructions to Mister Farnell,\u201d Horace spat.<\/p>\n

Alistair reached into the inside pocket of his jacket and extracted a business card with the address of his office in San Francisco.\u00a0\u00a0 He silently handed the card to Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cWill that be all?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYes, Mister van Slyke, that will be all.\u201d<\/p>\n

Horace turned heel and walked out, without bothering to acknowledge the others present, including his own lawyer.\u00a0 Alistair Farnell followed meekly behind his employer.<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Milburn, thank you so very much!\u201d Peggy said gratefully, after her soon to be EX-father-in-law and his lawyer had left.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou, too, Uncle Ben.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad I could be of help,\u201d Lucas said, smiling broadly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThis may be highly unprofessional of me, but anytime I can get the best of a stuffed shirt like Horace van Slyke and his hot shot city lawyer, well . . . that makes my day, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re always here to help out our friends, Peggy,\u201d Ben said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe certainly count you as one of our friends.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy then turned to the man who had been the most supportive.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAdam, a mere thank you seems horribly inadequate.\u00a0\u00a0 If it weren\u2019t for those fractured ribs I\u2019d give you . . . and Teresa . . . a big bear hug and a kiss.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTeresa will probably insist on collecting HER bear hug and kiss the minute we reach home,\u201d Adam said with a smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAs for me, you can hug gently for now.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ll collect on the bear hug when Doc Martin pronounces ME fully recovered.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy stepped over and very carefully slipped her arms around Adam\u2019s waist and hugged gingerly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThank you, Adam.\u00a0\u00a0 I don\u2019t know what I would have done without you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad I was here to help,\u201d Adam said, placing his own arms around her shoulders.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut YOU\u2019RE the real heroine, Peggy.\u00a0\u00a0 I don\u2019t want you to EVER forget that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019d best be moving along,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeggy?\u201d Laura Dayton, who had remained silent throughout the proceedings, ventured hesitantly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMay I . . . I\u2019d like to talk with you, uh privately . . . if I may?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all right with Adam and me, if YOU\u2019RE of a mind, Peggy,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0\u00a0 Adam nodded in agreement.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll be outside.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. van Slyke, I just remembered a matter that I need to take up with Ben,\u201d Lucas said, moving out from behind his desk.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou and Mrs. Dayton . . . please, feel free to take all the time you need.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeggy,\u201d Laura turned to her daughter, once they were alone, \u201cI . . . I know this may seem like only a drop of water compared to a whole ocean, but . . . I\u2019m sorry.\u00a0\u00a0 I am so sorry for what\u2019s happened to you over the years, since Will left, and . . . and for all that you suffered with Brett.\u00a0\u00a0 God help me I . . . I knew, I couldn\u2019t help knowing, b-but I never did anything . . . oh, Peggy . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 A torrent of weeping drowned the remainder of her words.<\/p>\n

Peggy immediately put her arms around her mother and held her close as she wept.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cApology accepted, Mother,\u201d she said quietly, with all sincerity.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe were both scared, not only with Brett, but with Aunt Lil, too.\u00a0\u00a0 That\u2019s all over now.\u00a0\u00a0 You and I are free to pick up and go on.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cY-you might not b-believe me when I say this . . . but I love you, Peggy.\u00a0\u00a0 I tried to do the best for us, even . . . even though I failed miserably.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, Mother, and I love you, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laura hugged Peggy closed and held on tight for a long moment.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI sure wish you were coming with me to Denver . . . to Aunt Marian\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t go anywhere much until the baby comes, and I\u2019m back on my feet,\u201d Peggy said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAfter that, I need to decide about how I\u2019m going to make my own way in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you know yet what you want to do?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter I got Uncle Ben\u2019s books caught up for him, Adam told me I seemed to have a flair for bookkeeping, maybe accounting.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ve always loved working and playing around with numbers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you still going to Sacramento with Adam and . . . and his wife?\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThey know of a good school there, where I can learn more about accounting, bookkeeping, and some things about other secretarial work.\u00a0\u00a0 Adam said they would even help me find a job.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll write when I get to Aunt Marian\u2019s . . . if you want me to . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like that very much, Mother.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ll be leaving Uncle Ben\u2019s within the next few days,\u201d Peggy said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTeresa\u2019s mother will be arriving with their children . . . Adam\u2019s and Teresa\u2019s, that is.\u00a0\u00a0 I thought it might be more considerate on my part to move out and give the Cartwrights a chance to visit with each other, without an interloper butting in.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She smiled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDoc and Mrs. Martin have very kindly invited me to move in with THEM until the baby comes and I\u2019m back on my feet.\u00a0\u00a0 For now you can write to me at the Martins here in Virginia City.\u00a0\u00a0 When I get to Sacramento, I\u2019ll send you my address there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laura smiled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m so glad thing are working out so well for you, Peggy.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Her smile faded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI only wish . . . that things had turned out better for Aunt Lil.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe shot and wounded Stacy, Mother, and I understand she came very close to hitting Adam.\u00a0\u00a0 She could very easily have killed THEM, along with Teresa and Hoss.\u00a0\u00a0 Aunt Lil\u2019s got to stand trial for that, and pay the consequences.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was desperate, Peggy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat doesn\u2019t mean she\u2019s allowed to shoot at people.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laura nodded, and looked away.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI . . . I suppose . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you been able to see Aunt Lil, Mother?\u201d<\/p>\n

Laura morosely shook her head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe won\u2019t let me see her.\u00a0\u00a0 Hasn\u2019t, since Ben and Adam had the sheriff release me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peggy felt a measure of relief in that knowledge.\u00a0\u00a0 Her mother was now completely free of Aunt Lil\u2019s domination and influence.\u00a0\u00a0 She very much wanted things to remain that way.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhen do you leave for Denver?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis afternoon on the two o\u2019clock stage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you want me there . . . to see you off?\u201d<\/p>\n

Laura shook her head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI think I\u2019d rather say good-bye here, Peggy.\u00a0\u00a0 Do you mind?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot at all, Mother,\u201d Peggy hugged Laura again.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood bye, Peggy, and I wish you and your baby all the best.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wish the same for YOU, Mother.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope you\u2019ll come see me and Aunt Marian in Denver.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou and Aunt Marian will be more than welcome to come visit me in Sacramento, too, Mother.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI love you, Peggy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI love you, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Epilogue . . . .<\/p>\n

That evening, the Cartwright family, which by extension included Hop Sing, Candy, and Peggy van Slyke gathered around the table for a special meal to celebrate Peggy\u2019s heroism and her newly won freedom.\u00a0\u00a0 The men were all attired in their best suits, with tie.\u00a0\u00a0 Hop Sing had also dressed for the occasion in a long tunic, reaching to his ankles, made of green silk hand printed with Chinese dragons and other animals.\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy wore the dress she had worn to what had come to be known as the Wedding of the Century.\u00a0\u00a0 Teresa looked stunningly beautiful in the beautiful scarlet silk ball gown she had insisted on bringing, \u201cjust in case.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 This afternoon, Mrs. Pomeroy had dropped off a new dress, made of a blue material that complimented Peggy\u2019s eyes, \u201csuitable for church,\u201d as the old woman had declared so pointedly.<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . and now for main dish,\u201d Hop Sing announced as he entered the dining room bearing an enormous platter with a roast pig, complete with apple, decked with garlands of herbs and other vegetables.\u00a0\u00a0 He dutifully set the meat tray down at the head of the table, directly in front of the Cartwright clan patriarch, then handed him the carving utensils.<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing, you\u2019ve . . . well, you\u2019ve plain and simply outdone yourself,\u201d Ben declared with a broad grin.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThis roast pig is magnificent!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s got a magnificent aroma, too . . . which is makin\u2019 me hungry enough t\u2019 eat a whole herd o\u2019 horses,\u201d Hoss declared with a pointed, longing glance at the roast pig.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow you just HOLD those horses a minute, Son,\u201d Ben admonished Hoss with a smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s only good manners to serve up the woman of the hour first.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He glanced down at Peggy seated near the foot of the table.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPeggy, if you\u2019d please pass your plate up this way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUncle Ben, may I propose a toast first . . . before we eat?\u201d Peggy asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019d better make it quick, Peggy,\u201d Joe quipped.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s getting a little too creepy with Hoss looking at me like that . . . and drooling.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smiling, Peggy started to rise.<\/p>\n

Hoss was out of his chair in an instant.\u00a0\u00a0 Moving with surprising speed, given his size, he was standing behind Peggy\u2019s chair within seconds.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHere y\u2019 are, Peggy, please . . . allow me.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He graciously held her chair, as she rose.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like to propose a toast,\u201d Peggy said in a voice, loud, clear, and confident.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cFirst to the entire Cartwright family.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ve always remembered you as kind, decent, generous people, always there, ready to lend a helping hand to family, friend, and stranger alike.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019m very grateful none of that changed, because . . . if it hadn\u2019t been for your kindness and generosity . . . I wouldn\u2019t be here right now.\u00a0 Uncle Ben, Hoss, Joe, Stacy, and Hop Sing, for all the blessings you give others, may you receive back again a hundred fold.\u201d<\/p>\n

Everyone seated around the table touched glasses each with his or her neighbor, before drinking in unison.<\/p>\n

\u201cSecond,\u201d Peggy continued, after everyone had drunk the first toast, \u201clast maybe, but hardly least, to Adam and Teresa, for being there.\u00a0\u00a0 I don\u2019t know WHAT I would have done without YOU.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam took a slow, deep, ragged breath, then closed his eyes momentarily, steeling himself.\u00a0\u00a0 He exhaled then rose stiffly from his place at the dining room table, trying his best not to wince at the pain and stiffness in his chest and abdomen.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d also like to propose a toast . . . to Peggy, a strong, courageous, lovely young woman, who a couple of weeks ago saved not only MY life, but the lives of my father and Mister Milburn as well.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Smiling, he raised the wine glass in hand.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTo Peggy,\u201d Adam said quietly, favoring her with an affectionate smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMy heroine!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The End.<\/strong><\/p>\n

August\u00a02002 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Revised December 2007<\/p>\n

Next Story in the Bloodlines Series:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Poltergeist II<\/a>
\nIndependence Day<\/a>
\nVirginia City Detour<\/a>
\nThe Guardian<\/a>
\nYoung Cartwrights in Love<\/a>
\nSan Francisco Revisited<\/a>
\nThere But for the Grace of God<\/a>
\nBetween Life and Death<\/a>
\nOrenna<\/a>
\nClarissa Returns<\/a>
\nTrial by Fire<\/a>
\nMark of Kane<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Notes:<\/p>\n

[i] \u00a0 \u00a0The characters of Laura and Peggy Dayton are based on same appearing in the following Bonanza episodes: #144 \u201cThe Waiting Game,\u201d written by Ed Adamson; #153 \u201cThe Cheating Game,\u201d written by William L. Stuart; #166 \u201cThe Pressure Game,\u201d written by Don Tait; and #167 \u201cTriangle,\u201d written by Frank Cleaver. The character of Aunt Lil Manfred appeared in \u201cThe Pressure Game,\u201d written by Don Tait.<\/p>\n

[ii]\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The events recounted by Adam to Peggy occurred in Bonanza episode #128, titled\u00a0 \u201cMy Brother\u2019s Keeper,\u201d written by Seeleg Lester.<\/p>\n

[iii] \u00a0 \u00a0Bonanza episode #166, “The Pressure Game,” written by Don Tait.<\/p>\n

[iv] \u00a0 \u00a0 Horace Banning is the husband of \u201cThe Lady From Baltimore\u201d — Episode #83, written by Elliott Arnold.<\/p>\n

[v] \u00a0 \u00a0 Bonanza episode #56, \u201cThe Dark Gate,\u201d written by Ward Hawkins<\/p>\n

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

All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are property of their respective owners.\u00a0 The original characters and plot are property of the author.\u00a0\u00a0 The author is not in any way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise, and makes no money from this work.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 No copyright infringement is intended.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

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

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

Summary:.\u00a0 While Adam and his wife, Teresa, are visiting with his family at the Ponderosa, someone from his (Adam\u2019s) past arrives unexpectedly.\u00a0\u00a0 She is in deep trouble and desperately needs his help.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/p>\n

Rating T (55,240 word)<\/p>\n

Bloodlines Series, links to all stories within the series are included.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":48167,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,23,1008,13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6429","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-a-u","category-drama","category-family","category-whn","wpcat-7-id","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-1008-id","wpcat-13-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":1636,"today_views":1},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Screenshot-2024-02-24-at-1.05.02%E2%80%AFAM.png?fit=650%2C498&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":6819,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=6819","url_meta":{"origin":6429,"position":0},"title":"The Wedding (by pkmoonshine)","author":"pkmoonshine","date":"January 15, 2003","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 Adam Cartwright and his wife, Teresa, come to Virginia City to spend the summer with the family, and so that he might stand up for an old friend as best man in what\u2019s shaping up to be \u201cThe Wedding Of The Century.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Meanwhile, Roy Coffee has his hands full\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Alternate Universe"","block_context":{"text":"Alternate Universe","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=7"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Bridal-Bouquet-03-Wildflowers.jpg?fit=376%2C451&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6403,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=6403","url_meta":{"origin":6429,"position":1},"title":"Independence Day (by pkmoonshine)","author":"pkmoonshine","date":"August 23, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 The Independence Day race, which the Cartwrights have been looking forward to all summer, ends in near tragedy. Rating: \u00a0K+ (39,720 words) Bloodlines Series, links to all the stories within the series included.","rel":"","context":"In "Alternate Universe"","block_context":{"text":"Alternate Universe","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=7"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Bunting-01.jpg?fit=388%2C418&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":10415,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=10415","url_meta":{"origin":6429,"position":2},"title":"Mark of Kane (by pkmoonshine)","author":"pkmoonshine","date":"May 17, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 Following the family's ordeal in Trial by Fire, can they finally bury Adam's experiences at the hands of Kane?\u00a0 Rating:\u00a0 T\u00a0 (109,400 words) Bloodlines Series, links to all the stories within the series included.","rel":"","context":"In "Alternate Universe"","block_context":{"text":"Alternate Universe","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=7"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Pine-Trees-Mist-01a.jpg?fit=575%2C970&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Pine-Trees-Mist-01a.jpg?fit=575%2C970&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Pine-Trees-Mist-01a.jpg?fit=575%2C970&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5743,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=5743","url_meta":{"origin":6429,"position":3},"title":"Bloodlines (by pkmoonshine)","author":"pkmoonshine","date":"April 3, 2002","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: Paris McKenna, an old friend of the Cartwright family, suddenly falls ill on her way to San Francisco and a new job. She reluctantly accepts Ben\u2019s invitation to rest and regain her strength at the Ponderosa. 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