{"id":6501,"date":"2012-04-04T12:01:20","date_gmt":"2012-04-04T16:01:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=6501"},"modified":"2026-07-22T11:45:54","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T15:45:54","slug":"the-burning-bridge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=6501","title":{"rendered":"The Burning Bridge (by MissJudy)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary: \u00a0<\/span>Adam has never worried about his father’s faith and trust in him. That changes dramamtically after a woman drops an 11 year-old at the Ponderosa,\u00a0telling Ben that\u00a0the boy\u00a0is Adam’s son, conceived before he left for college. After repeated attempts to defend himself against th accusation, Adam leaves home, angry and hurt by his father’s seeming refusal to accept that the\u00a0woman is lying. Once Adam confronts his accuser, he is\u00a0forced to look further\u00a0to find out how he and his family became\u00a0targets for her ploy,\u00a0and pays a high price for trying to find the truth in her life of lies.<\/p>\n

Rated:<\/span>\u00a0T \u00a0WC \u00a060,000<\/span><\/p>\n

Story Notes:<\/b><\/em><\/p>\n

I set this story shortly before Bonanza canon. Adam is in his late 20’s while Little Joe is in his late teens.<\/em><\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

The Burning Bridge<\/strong><\/p>\n

Part I – The War of Words and Wills<\/strong><\/p>\n

One<\/strong><\/p>\n

Into the Fray<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Being the Cartwright most likely to be in trouble or the object of the town gossip mill over the years, Little Joe finally had information that would give him the upper hand on his sainted oldest brother. He didn\u2019t believe a word of what he\u2019d heard, but still wanted to see Adam\u2019s face when he told him\u2026and especially hear what his father would have to say about it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben Cartwright didn\u2019t put much stock in gossip, yet had a strong aversion to having his sons as the fodder for it. This rumor about Adam was making its way through town with the speed and ferocity of an angry bull in full charge, and in this instance, Little Joe knew his father would care greatly. He could only wonder how big the blowup would be once the man got wind of it. None of his family had been to town for a few days so he had gone in for the mail and then stopped at the Bucket of Blood for a cold ginger beer before heading home. It was there that he had been assailed with the sordid details of what his brother was being accused of doing some years ago.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The youngest Cartwright was not to one to notice details when he was on a mission, and missed several important ones as he neared the front of his house. He didn\u2019t pay attention to the loud voices he heard even through the heavy door, and then didn\u2019t notice the strained expressions on both his father and oldest brother\u2019s faces as he charged into the room. He didn\u2019t see the constant twitch below Adam\u2019s right eye or the fighter\u2019s stance he\u2019d adopted to defend against his father\u2019s verbal blows. He didn\u2019t even sense the anger hanging thick and acrid like the smoke lingering after a weapon discharge. Little Joe remained oblivious to all of these warning signs, and after casually tossing his hat onto the credenza, he began spewing forth the \u201cnews\u201d from town.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHey, did you know that a woman named Margot Tanner is back in town after being gone for nearly twelve years?\u201d Both men turned to stare at Joe as he continued his revelations. \u201cAnd not only is she back, but she\u2019s got an eleven year old kid with her she says Adam fathered just before he went out East. Boy, Adam I didn\u2019t even\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe stopped immediately as his father hissed, \u201cThat\u2019ll be enough, Joseph.\u201d At that same moment, he saw Hoss out of the corner of his eye, entering the room with a lanky, curly, dark-haired, kid at his side. Joe let out a whistle. \u201cOh, I see you already know.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss brought the boy over to Joe and introduced him as Jake Tanner. Then turning to the boy, \u201cJake, this here\u2019s my brother, Little Joe. How\u2019s about we all go outside fer a spell.\u201d As they exited the house, Hoss had a tight, guiding grip on both Joe and Jake\u2019s shoulders, just in case they decided they didn\u2019t want to go with him. \u201cI\u2019ll saddle up a horse and let ya ride around the corral, Jake. How\u2019s that sound to you?\u201d<\/p>\n

As he was being ushered to the door, Little Joe strained to look back at the two men remaining in the house. His middle brother was too strong to wrench free of, and too large to see over, so he gave up his efforts and moved in the direction Hoss was pushing, figuring he\u2019d get the details once they were outside.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Two<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Shot That Began the Crossfire<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss saddled a big, gentle mare and made sure Jake got on without problems.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI know how to ride,\u201d the boy spat as he grabbed for the reins.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWell, that\u2019s good, Jake. But suppose you just put old Biddy here through a few paces jest to be sure you\u2019re familiar with her before we go anywhere. That sound fair?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019s soft smile and soothing manner as he adjusted the stirrup length seemed to defuse the tension in the child. \u201cSure,\u201d he sighed, \u201cI can do that.\u201d Jake gave Biddy a nudge with his heels and she ambled off across the enclosure.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The two brothers leaned back onto the corral fencing, opposite legs up like bookends, watching as Jake practiced turning, stopping and starting the mare. With those maneuvers finished, he brought the horse to a trot.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSeems like he knows what he\u2019s doin\u2019, don\u2019t it?\u201d Hoss nodded toward the boy on the horse.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Adam\u2019s a pretty good horseman too, so it sort of makes sense his son would take to it.\u201d Little Joe tried to keep a straight face, but eventually burst into a giggle and gave Hoss a jab in the ribs. \u201cHad you goin\u2019 there, didn\u2019t I?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss gave his brother a humorless glare. \u201cIt ain\u2019t right of you to make fun of Adam nor this kid, Joe. This whole situation is somethin\u2019 purely awful. You should have heard Pa and Adam goin\u2019 at each other before you flew in. I don\u2019t know what\u2019s gonna happen in there, but every bit\u2019a me is a saying it won\u2019t be good. So I\u2019d ask you to keep that in mind before you make more unkind remarks.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s face tinged a deep scarlet as he apologized, and then asked, \u201cHow\u2019d Jake end up out here?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThat Margot Tanner you mentioned, came by this mornin\u2019 and dropped Jake off while Adam was out checking the new stock. And ya know it was funny\u2014almost like she was waitin\u2019 for him to ride out. No sooner had he left but she pulled in. When she said she was there for Adam, I offered to ride out to get him back, but she wanted none of that; seemed more interested in telling Pa that the boy was Adam\u2019s son, than saying it to Adam himself. Then she went into some wild story about how she and Adam were together at a party just before he went off East to school and he was long gone before she knew she was in a family way. She even said she found out where Adam was and sent him letters but never heard back from him. She figured he didn\u2019t care to accept any responsibility.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A questioning looked preceded Joe\u2019s comment. \u201cWell that don\u2019t sound like our brother, does it? I mean, even if it had happened, he\u2019d have owned up to it sure as shootin\u2019. What else did she say?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShe said she went off on her own to have the baby so\u2019s not to bring shame to her family, and just kept on bringin\u2019 the boy up by herself until now.\u201d Hoss sighed deeply as he told the next part of the story. \u201cAnd then she heaped the guilt on Pa, telling of her money troubles and how she knowed a man like Ben Cartwright would want better for his flesh and blood than staying in a shed out back a saloon where she worked, and livin\u2019 hand to mouth while she did what she had to to make a few bucks.\u2019<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s questioning look had turned to disbelief. \u201cSo what\u2019d Pa say to that?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNothin. He sort of stammered a bit\u2014lookin\u2019 like he was poleaxed, but I think he was plum puzzled as to what she wanted and waited out the entire story.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhich was\u2026?\u201d Joe asked impatiently.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s tired of her son livin\u2019 poor while his pa lives here with want for nothin\u2019. It\u2019s her intention that Jake should have some of the finer things in life; even if she won\u2019t never have them.\u201d Hoss shook his head. \u201cThat\u2019s when she got teary and said she didn\u2019t want nothin\u2019 for herself, just a better life for the boy. Then she handed Pa a bag with the boy\u2019s clothes and said that she\u2019d be in Virginia City and would check on the child in a few days to see how things were goin\u2019. She finished by saying she hoped that while she was gone maybe Adam could start doing what he should have done eleven years back.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cBe the boy\u2019s pa, I guess. Joe, I know I shoulda said something right then. I knew it didn\u2019t ring true of Adam, but I was so dang dumbfounded that I stood there with my mouth hangin\u2019 open, same as Pa. She was out that door and away before either of regained our voices or senses.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSo what\u2019d Adam say when he got home?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou know what he said… That there\u2019s no way the boy is his. That he barely knew Margot Tanner and was never at no party with her.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Little Joe rolled his eyes. \u201cHoss, getting this story outta you is like pulling teeth\u2026 What\u2019d Pa say?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not so easy to tell. I\u2019m not sure whether he\u2019s hopin\u2019 Adam\u2019s tellin\u2019 the truth or not. He listened to Adam, and seemed to be swayed to believe him, but that woman\u2026she laid just enough doubt in his mind by putting just enough hope in his heart that there was a Cartwright heir beyond us boys. I know he don\u2019t believe her true deep down, because he\u2019d have to believe that Adam\u2019s lying. But it\u2019s tearin\u2019 him to pieces thinking about any child not havin\u2019 a father, and\u2019s lettin\u2019 that infect his judgment.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe thought a moment. \u201cYou know, Pa\u2019s been sorely wishing for us to marry and have a passel of kids. He doesn\u2019t say it outright, but whenever someone asks about whether any of us boys are near to settling down he gets a longing look, don\u2019t he?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI know what you mean Joe. It\u2019s like he won\u2019t never push us into anything we ain\u2019t ready for, but he sure would be happy if it happened soon. And what\u2019s worse is that he\u00a0is<\/em>sayin\u2019 it outright\u2026just not to us.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019s comment made Joe wonder what his brother knew that he didn\u2019t, but asked instead, \u201cWhat\u2019s the boy said about all of this?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cTruth is, we ain\u2019t asked, and he ain\u2019t offerin\u2019. He\u2019s mostly polite and listens real good, but seems nervous like you\u2019d expect. I been keepin\u2019 him busy so he don\u2019t hear all the commotion. One of the hands had Jake out looking over the horses we\u2019re gonna be breakin\u2019 tomorrow, and brought him back just about the time you got here. I\u2019d taken him to get some cookies and we was about to head back outside when you came in spoutin\u2019 your \u2018information\u2019 and I figured we might as well take you with us before you made things worse.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou remember what Adam looked like when he was eleven, right, Hoss? Does this kid look like him?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHonestly, Joe, that\u2019s a long time ago and not a question to waste any time ponderin\u2019 because he ain\u2019t Adam\u2019s son.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u2018I know that Hoss, and wasn\u2019t implying anything. I was just considering that this Margot must have figured there was some similarity to be able to make this claim without us laughing at her.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss considered for a minute before answering. \u201cWell, I\u2019m guessing it\u2019s more that Margot saw just enough resemblance to what Adam looks like now to think she could get away with making the claim. They both got dark, curly hair and a similar build. But Jake\u2019s blue eyes and the shape of his face aren\u2019t like Adam\u2019s at all. I\u2019m never quite sure what color Adam\u2019s eyes are, but I can tell you this much fer certain\u2014they ain\u2019t blue. And that Margot\u2019s eyes are dark as night. Somethin\u2019 just doesn\u2019t add up, but I can\u2019t put my finger on what it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Both brothers watched Jake a while longer until\u00a0Hoss hollered over to him that he seemed good with a horse just like he said he was, and then suggested they all take a ride.<\/p>\n

Hoss directed his final comments quietly to Joe. \u201cMaybe we best get away from here for a spell and let them two in the house holler it out where Jake don\u2019t have to listen? Can\u2019t say it seems fair for him to be caught in the middle.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Three<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Battle Takes Casualties<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Inside the house, battle lines had been drawn and the war of words was going full force. The exit of Hoss, Joe and Jake had opened the battlefield for full combat to begin, and direct hits were already being taken.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t care what Margot Tanner says, Pa. I cannot be this boy\u2019s father. That the beginning and end to it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAre you sure son? That was some years ago. Maybe you just aren\u2019t certain\u2026\u201d
\n\u201cCertain?\u201d Adam stormed, \u201cThat he\u2019s not my son or that I might not know if he\u2019s my son? Which part aren\u2019t you sure of?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben remained silent at first, and then launched an assault from a different vantage point. \u201cYou were very young then, Adam. Perhaps you just weren\u2019t fully aware of the consequences of\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam cut him off with a sad laugh. \u201cAre you honestly suggesting that I didn\u2019t know the possible outcome of intimacy when I was 17?\u201d A resigned sigh issued from the man who couldn\u2019t understand why he had to explain this to his father. But he pressed on just so there would be no doubt. \u201cI knew about it already when we were in the wagon trains. Living space was tight as you might recall. All us kids heard, and even saw things we probably weren\u2019t meant to, and we talked about it. We may have had some misconceptions, but we had a general idea of what was going on when our parents thought we were sleeping.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He saw his father blanch. \u201cAnd so you stop looking like a sick bull: I didn\u2019t add my point of view to such conversations. But it was an education. What I wasn\u2019t certain about from those years was perfected as we settled here and started breeding cattle. Nature is a pretty good teacher too. You always said I was a smart kid, Pa. I certainly knew enough about such things by the time I left for college.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no need to be coarse, I\u2019m only suggesting possibilities.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The younger man was wounded by his father\u2019s word. The pain he felt seemed physical as well as mental and he breathed deeply to stop his head from spinning \u201cPa. I\u2019m going to say this one last time. I barely knew Margot Tanner\u2014maybe saw her in town a couple of times. You said that she told you she was with me at a party before I left for school, but you know I didn\u2019t go to any parties then. I was shot that year and barely recovered enough to be able to leave when it was time. I heard from Jeb Smyth that Margot was sweet on me, but my only focus was on school. This boy is not, and cannot be my son. I am not mistaken or confused. And most importantly, Pa, you know me! I wouldn\u2019t have done anything to jeopardize my future or your faith in me. Let me put this as plainly as I can\u2026Margot Tanner is a liar.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Pinned down,\u00a0but not surrendering, Ben spoke softly; almost longingly. \u201cHe looks like you.\u201d And after a moment added, \u201cWhy would a mother lie about such a thing?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Spent and defeated, Adam raised a verbal white flag for one last try at a ceasefire. \u201cThink about it, Pa. Everyone says Josh and Mike Jones are the spitting image of each other. They think that because they want to see a resemblance, not because it\u2019s true. Josh\u2019s mother married Mike long after the boy\u2019s real father died. We see what we want to and even find similarities that don\u2019t exist. Just because Jake is tall for his age and has curly hair doesn\u2019t make him mine any more than some random short, wiry, curly-haired kid would be Joe\u2019s. And as to why Margot might lie\u2026look around you, Pa. She holds the keys to money, property and position with a Cartwright child. She\u2019s not the first who tried to lie or trick her way onto the Ponderosa, but she is the first to try by this method. If you give in to her, others will follow.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben sat at Adam\u2019s side, still not done with the fight. \u201cAnd what shall I do with this child? Toss him out on the road? What will people think of such behavior?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhen has it begun to matter what others think? I\u2019ll take him into town and let Roy know what\u2019s going on. Then I\u2019ll find out where Margot\u2019s staying and figure out what this is about. This is not a question of paternity\u2014it\u2019s a matter of extortion and it has to be stopped now!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Wars can be inadvertently won when an aberrant shot meant to signal a willingness to negotiate an end to the fight, mistakenly hits the opponent, doing so much damage that the battle is over by default. Ben didn\u2019t realize that his next comment carried a powder load of grief so large that it tore straight through his son. \u201cAre you absolutely sure this isn\u2019t your child?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben didn\u2019t understand why Adam seemingly doubled over in pain, and he laid a gentle hand on his son\u2019s shoulder. He could feel what seemed to be sobs wracking the young man\u2019s body. But what Ben mistook for a sign of remorse was actually silent chuckling, that grew to great sucking laughs as Adam shook loose of his father\u2019s hand, rose and headed for the steps.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Outraged, Ben yelled at his son\u2019s back. \u201cI find nothing funny here, young man. Turn around and look at me.\u201d The laughing continued a moment longer until the room echoed with silence. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong with you, boy!\u201d The father demanded. \u201cCome back here so we can figure this out.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Pausing on the landing, Adam turned one last time to face his father. \u201cYou ask what\u2019s wrong with me? Nothing at all! I stood in judgment, and have found myself innocent on all counts. What I can\u2019t fathom is why you seem more disappointed in the truth than you would be if I were \u2018mistaken, careless or uncertain.\u2019 I care about what happens to this child as well, but it is not my place to be making any decisions about his future. He needs to be returned before this gets any worse than it is. He isn\u2019t your grandson because he\u2019s not my son. It\u2019s clear to me that you\u2019ve made up your mind as to what you think, so why should it matter what more I have to say? In fact I think this whole hoax is directed more at you than me. Margot didn\u2019t bring the child to me, she brought him to you\u2026 I wonder why?\u201d Adam turned abruptly, taking the last few steps two at a time to escape the battlefield and tend his wounds.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He entered his room as a defeated man. In less than ten minutes he\u2019d managed to lose all credibility with his father. He\u2019d been accused of either being a liar, or too naive to know whether he had created a child with a woman he barely knew. He was shaking in sadness and anger, not able to understand what had transpired.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

His voice was silent as his mind raged.\u00a0Of course women lie about such things when it serves their purpose. How can my own father value the word of a stranger over that of his son\u2014a son who has never lied to him before, and has always done the right thing?<\/em>\u00a0Adam didn\u2019t know much just then, but he knew he had to get away before it got so ugly he could never come back.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It took some time for him to calm down and think rationally enough that he could get organized for what he was about to do.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Below him, Ben paced the house and yard, but made no attempt to go to his son.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When Hoss and Joe returned from their ride with Jake, they asked the boy to help Hop Sing with some outdoor chores while they went inside to assess the situation. They found Ben sitting in his favorite chair looking bewildered, and took seats nearby, hoping to get a feel for how the war had ended. Before they could ask any questions, they heard Adam on the steps and all eyes turned to watch his descent.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The oldest son was carrying an overstuffed carpetbag, with a bulging saddlebag tossed over his shoulder. Adam grabbed his coat from the hooks by the door and headed for his hat and gun, making no attempt to look at, or address those assembled in the room.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss quickly crossed to him and grabbed his arms. \u201cAdam!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The eldest was trance-like: eyes focused on something unseen as he turned toward the voice of the one who held him in a steely grip.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAdam,\u201d Hoss said again as he shook him. \u201cWhat\u2019re you planning to do? This ain\u2019t no time to be leavin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam leveled his eyes at Hoss. \u201cIt ain\u2019t no time to be stayin\u2019 either.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019re you talkin\u2019 about, Adam.\u201d Hoss was near frantic. He had seen his father\u2019s confusion just as he now saw the pure pain in his brother\u2019s eyes.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAsk Pa what I\u2019m talking about!\u201d He pushed free of Hoss\u2019s grasp and took another step toward the door.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben tried to sound reasoning and gentle, but his next comment only served to widen the gap that separated the two men. \u201cBe reasonable, son. You have a responsibility here. You can\u2019t run away from it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The reply had the tone of a wounded animal. \u201cA responsibility? My only responsibility was to tell the truth, but that\u2019s not enough. It actually seems that I don\u2019t need to defend myself as much from this lie as I do from my own father\u2019s opinion of me. I have always been responsible, Pa, and it\u2019s why I know this is\u00a0not<\/em>\u00a0my problem. It\u2019s your problem now. You figure out where you stand and deal with it as you see fit. I\u2019ve already told you what I would do!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This time he didn\u2019t stop until the door slammed behind him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben hollered after his eldest, \u201cAdam! Come back here!\u201d while making no move to follow. Instead , he looked bewilderedly to the sons still in the house. \u201cWhat just happened here?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Little Joe shrank deep into his chair, wishing to become invisible. He had no idea what to say to either man at this point. What had seemed like such a coup a few hours earlier as he had savored the idea of breaking this unseemly bit of gossip to his family, now seemed like he had merely brought along the Declaration of War to confirm the battle already raging.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss walked to his father, stopping directly in front of him. He had heard the early battle cries and figured that from what Adam had just said, his father had continued to throw down the same arguments. \u201cSeems like you might have asked just once too often if Adam was sure, Pa. I think what\u2019s happened here, is that you burned down a bridge that will take some powerful fixin\u2019 before it can ever be crossed again.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you talking about, Hoss? Adam will figure out that I was only trying to do what was best for everyone, and come back inside in a few minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone, Pa? You think you\u2019re doin\u2019 what\u2019s right for\u00a0everyone<\/em>?\u00a0 You asked Adam if it was possible that Jake could be his son and he told you no. Yet it seems you must have kept pokin\u2019 the same question at him in different ways after I left and that amounts to you callin\u2019 him a liar. Saying that he isn\u2019t responsible isn\u2019t what best for him either! Think of who you\u2019re talkin\u2019 about! Adam\u2019s the most responsible person I ever knowed, \u2018ceptin\u2019 you. If I know him as well as I think I do, I\u2019m bettin\u2019 that he says Jake needs to go back to town and Sheriff Coffee\u2019s got to get involved to find out what\u2019s really happening here. Somethin\u2019s just plumb wrong and I don\u2019t know what or why, but letting that boy think we\u2019re his family for even a minute longer ain\u2019t what\u2019s best for him. It\u2019s just gonna make it harder when he finds out it\u2019s not true.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI never said your brother was lying!\u201d Ben\u2019s anger raged now at his middle son.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIf that makes you feel justified, you jest keep thinkin\u2019 that way. But, Pa, you did. Fact is I don\u2019t think even you know why you did it.\u201d Hoss was unsure whether to tread into this swamp, but in his heart, he knew he didn\u2019t want this scene repeated again with him or Joe someday, so he mucked on. \u201cPa, you been hanging your feelins\u2019 on your sleeve for some time now. I\u2019m fearin\u2019 that in this whole mess, you was thinkin\u2019 mainly of what was best for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s outrage turned to confusion. \u201cNow what are you talking about?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sometimes I think you\u2019re gettin\u2019 impatient for this family to continue, and let it fall into your conversations. Like the other day when we was at the mercantile and you was talkin\u2019 to Mrs. Henry. She asked was any of your sons entertainin\u2019 thoughts of marriage yet. Then she said she bet you wished you had little ones running around the ranch to make sure the Cartwright name continued on.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Defiance burned in Ben\u2019s voice. \u201cSo, now my sons are monitoring my conversations?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNot monitoring them, Pa, just listenin\u2019. Do you remember what you said to her?\u00a0 You told her that it was your greatest wish to have a whole gaggle of kids around the ranch someday soon.\u201d\u00a0 Hoss let that rest a moment. \u201cPa, don\u2019t you see, by the time we left that store, I\u2019d bet Mrs. Henry had already spread that information to a number of people and it was just like the Bible says: them seeds of gossip landed on some mighty fertile soil. Maybe one even landed on this Margot Tanner.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re saying this is my fault?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Pa, it ain\u2019t yer fault. The only fault here is in this woman who wants to take advantage of her own kid. But you gotta know that\u2019s all this is. Jake\u2019s a nice boy, but he ain\u2019t a Cartwright. Adam says it can\u2019t be, and I believe him. Adam\u2019s word has always been enough for me. Used to be enough for you too.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Four<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sounding Retreat<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The angry son had left the house ahead of the slamming door and made his way to the barn, thinking only of getting Sport saddled to leave. He didn\u2019t notice the child sitting on the porch as he stormed past\u2014or that he rose to follow him\u2014and was startled when a young voice spoke to him as he threw a blanket over the big chestnut\u2019s back.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI guess you don\u2019t want to be my pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHuh?\u201d Adam spun to face the boy. The anger that had been building and boiling was suddenly gone, while Adam\u2019s face took a softer edge. Leading Jake over to the tack box, he urged him to sit, and squatted down in front of him. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Jake. You shouldn\u2019t have to go through all this. It\u2019s not that I don\u2019t want to be your father, it\u2019s just that\u2026I\u2019m not.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Jake looked down as he listened.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIf there was any chance that you were my son, I\u2019d do everything I could to help. You seem like a great kid from the little I\u2019ve seen of you, and it might even be different if I knew why your mother was doing this. If she had asked me for help, I\u2019d still have done whatever I could for both of you. But, well, I\u2019m afraid that Margot is being untruthful; so it gets far more complicated.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI know you ain\u2019t.\u201d Jake\u2019s eyes remained focused on his boots.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou know I aint, what?\u201d Adam questioned, not understanding the turn in the conversation.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Two blue eyes locked on Adam. \u201cYou ain\u2019t my pa. I know that.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?…How?…I mean, let\u2019s start at the beginning, Jake. Tell me what you do know.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou ain\u2019t my Pa, mister. I know that. Margot Tanner ain\u2019t even my ma.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam was at a loss. Getting up, he moved Jake over on the box so he could take a seat next to him as he figured out what to say next. \u201cSo, where\u2019s your mother, then?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShe died some weeks back.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry to hear that.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI asked your brothers why none of you look alike and they told me that you all had different mas. They said your ma died when you was just born. I\u2019m sorry for you too mister. It\u2019s not easy losing your ma\u2026ever.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s arm found its way around the boy\u2019s shoulders as they shared a common loss. Jake leaned into Adam\u2019s chest, as he continued. \u201cMargot was my ma\u2019s friend. I guess they lived around these parts at one time. My ma was Missy Reed. Do you remember her?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam considered this new information. \u201cYes I do, Jake. I think Margot and Missy were usually together back when I knew them. Seems to me there\u2019s a family named Reed that work a homestead between here and Carson City. Do you know them?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNope. I didn\u2019t even think I had any family. Listenin\u2019 to my ma and Margot, I heard them talk about how my ma had to leave town after getting into \u2018trouble\u2019 and Margot went with her. I\u2019m not sure what kind of trouble she was in, but she couldn\u2019t tell no one about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The grip around the boy tightened for a moment as Adam smiled. \u201cI understand, Jake; just go on with your story.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I never knew my pa, but I know you ain\u2019t him. He was some \u2018low-down, no-account weasel named Ned who rode trail\u2014accordin\u2019 to my Aunty Margot. I don\u2019t think ma ever saw him again.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI see.\u201d Adam chuckled, sending a vibration through to the boy.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSo anyway, my ma got killed in a wagon accident and Aunty Margot\u2014that\u2019s what I was s\u2019posed to call her before she started wanting me to call her Ma\u2014said she\u2019d bring me out here for my grandparents to raise. Maybe they\u2019re the folks you mentioned. She said she didn\u2019t have no skills to be raisin\u2019 a kid on her own. But when we got to here, she said she saw your pa in town \u2018talkin\u2019 to some old crone about wantin\u2019 grandkids\u2019 and told me that if I\u2019d help her with a little play actin\u2019, we could both earn a few dollars for our efforts. Said it\u2019d help my grandparents out to have a few exter dollars for my upbringin\u2019 so\u2019s they might be more willin\u2019 to take me on.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSo the charade began,\u201d Adam mused.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThe what began?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOh, sorry, Jake, she planned a sort-of game for you to play with her, right?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYup. I just had to pretend to be yer son fer a few days. She knew you\u2019d deny it, so we waited until we thought you\u2019d be away, figgerin\u2019 we\u2019d be long gone before you ever got back. She hung around the saloon listening to your ranch hands talking until she heard that they was moving the heard, and thought you\u2019d be goin\u2019 too. We actaully watched yer house for a day or two until she saw you ride off and said it was then or never.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam shook his head and muttered, \u201cOf all the scheming\u2026\u201d but stopped short as he remembered that Jake had been used as much as he had. \u201cSo what were you supposed to do while I was gone?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

My job was to stay here, and call your pa, Granddaddy, while I treated him real nice and got him stewin\u2019 over having a grandson. She was to come back and I\u2019d say I loved yer pa real much, but wanted to be with my mother. Margot suspected that would get old Ben Cartwright to open up his wallet so we wouldn\u2019t have to live so hard as he thought we\u2019d been. \u00a0Then we\u2019d promise to visit and write letters, but would just disappear.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam was dumbfounded. \u201cWell, that was quite the plan\u2026and all lies.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

You know, Aunty Margot said yer family would be good to me and I wouldn\u2019t have to worry about anything until she came back. That\u2019s the one thing she didn\u2019t lie about.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSo what made you back out, Jake? Why are you telling me this?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMy ma woulda been ashamed of me for lyin\u2019 this way. She was differnt than Aunty Margot. I remember the two of them talking about the Cartwrights when they thought I was sleeping. Aunty Margot always had a bee in her bonnet about you. She thought you\u2019d marry her or some such nonsense, and that you were so uppity you should be taken down a peg or two. My ma always listened to that, but then would say that maybe it wasn\u2019t meant to be and Margot should try to find a good man to make her happy. So I know Ma would be mad about what I\u2019m doin\u2019 here even if havin\u2019 some money might help her folks take me in.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Neither man nor boy spoke for a time.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSo I guess Aunty Margot seized her chance to take me down a peg when she got here?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

Adam returned to saddling Sport as he thought things through. \u201cListen, Jake. You\u2019ll have to stay here for a little while longer. You\u2019ll be safe and I\u2019ll take care of getting your family to come for you. And don\u2019t you worry about the Reeds. They\u2019ll be overjoyed to hear about you. Any grandparent would be.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose you\u2019ll want me to tell yer pa my story too?\u201d The child\u2019s voice was little more than a whisper.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cJake, you do whatever you think seems right. My pa has come to a few of his own conclusions and it might be good if he heard the truth of this matter, but you do it in your own way when you feel comfortable. I promise he won\u2019t be mad at you. In fact I think he\u2019ll be a little disappointed that you aren\u2019t his grandson.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss walked into the barn just then with Joe not far behind. \u201cLooks like you two been talkin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe have,\u201d Adam replied as he finished tightening the cinch. \u201cListen you two,\u201d he said indicating his brothers, \u201cI\u2019ve got to settle some things and would greatly appreciate you keeping an eye on Jake for a couple of days. Will you do that for him\u2026and me?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Little Joe answered first. \u201cSure, Adam. But you\u2019ll be back later won\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After securing his bags to the saddle, Adam walked back over to Jake. Pulling him near, he spoke quietly. \u201cI\u2019d have been honored to be your father, Jake. I\u2019m sure your mother is looking down on you now and is very proud.\u201d After a ruffle of the young man\u2019s hair, Adam mounted Sport to go.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss gently grabbed the reins below Sport\u2019s mouth, but held them firmly so Adam couldn\u2019t ride off. \u201cSo what happens now, brother?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to end this. I think Jake has real family nearby and I\u2019m going to speak to them. He might be related to the Reeds near Carson City. If that\u2019s true, they should be here in a day or two to take him home. I\u2019ll send word what to do if that doesn\u2019t pan out.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

To answer Hoss\u2019s questioning look, Adam continued, \u201cJake can tell you everything, and please just keep him busy until this gets cleared up. He\u2019s a good kid and deserves better than what\u2019s he\u2019s gotten.\u201d Adam adjusted his position in the saddle, then added, \u201cI\u2019m grateful for your help with the boy…and I heard a little of what you were \u2018saying\u2019 to Pa\u2026even out here.\u201d \u00a0He smiled down at his younger brother. \u201cYou\u2019ve always been a good friend as well as a brother, Hoss, and I appreciate that. It took guts to stand up to Pa like you did and I appreciate that too.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

His brother\u2019s last statements were a goodbye and Hoss knew it. \u201cShould I say anythin\u2019 to Pa for you, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI think enough has been said between us. I\u2019ll be at the International House when I get back from the Reeds. You can tell him that.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Jake, Hoss and Joe followed Sport as he moved toward the edge of the yard. Adam stopped, turning to look back as he cautioned. \u201cOne last thing\u2026don\u2019t let Margot Tanner get near Jake or take him away.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Five<\/strong><\/p>\n

An End to Hostilities<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The people in town didn\u2019t know what Adam said to Margot Tanner but they thought she looked mighty uneasy as she told as many people as possible that “they\u201d had been mistaken about Adam being the father of \u201cthat\u201d kid. The same people had noticed that Roy Coffee was there to see her off on an eastern bound stage and figured she\u2019d had no choice but to leave.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Jake told the other Cartwrights the truth, leaving them stunned that anyone could be as ruthless and manipulative as Margot. The brothers kept Jake busy as they had promised, and it wasn\u2019t a surprise when the Reeds pulled their wagon into the Ponderosa\u2019s yard two days later to claim their grandson.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cal and Sara Reed were heartily welcomed, and after a brief, happy meeting with their grandson, Ben led the couple into the house for a private conversation. He opened with a question. \u201cI\u2019m assuming you spoke to my son, and have some idea of what happened with your daughter and how we ended up with Jake?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sara brought her hanky to her eyes as she nodded, while her husband answered, \u201cYour son came by early yesterday with this astonishing news and we came as quickly as we could.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Finding her voice, Sara added, \u201cWe couldn\u2019t wait to get here.\u201d Her voice trailed into a whisper as she sighed, \u201cIt\u2019s truly astonishing to see how much Jake looks like Cal when he was younger.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben was pummeled by a wave of humiliation as he remembered saying much the same thing about Jake\u2019s resemblance to Adam. When Ben looked at Jake now, he saw none of the likeness he\u2019d noted when he thought they might be related. But he knew that this wasn\u2019t the time to linger in his regret, and advanced the conversation. \u201cDoes this story about your daughter seem credible?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cal nodded as he began to explain. \u201cMissy was always a sweet child, but she didn\u2019t like living in the country. We never had another child, and with Sara and me working the ranch all the time, it was lonely for her. About the time she was 15 we met the Tanner family in Virginia City and found out we were shirttail relation. They had Margot, who was the same age as Missy and the two girls got along right well. We\u2019d see them now \u2019n again and they finally suggested that Missy come live with them in town. She was 16 then.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShe couldn\u2019t wait to go and even though we weren\u2019t sure about it, she convinced us that she would be fine,\u201d Sara interjected. \u201cIf we had only known\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cBut we didn\u2019t, dear.\u201d Cal patted his wife\u2019s hands as he shook his head.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe assumed she was fine, but toward the end of summer, we got a visit from a neighbor who\u2019d seen Missy and Margot carrying on with men coming and going at a saloon.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The hanky made a return appearance as Sara\u2019s tears flowed again. \u201cOf course we went to get her immediately, but by the time we arrived she was gone.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDid they tell anyone why they were leaving?\u201d Ben was intrigued.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cal resumed the tale. \u201cThe Tanners said they woke up one morning and found a note from Margot saying that she and Missy were going to San Francisco to find work. She wrote that there was nothing for them in Nevada unless they wanted to be saloon girls and they didn\u2019t want that. I read the note myself and there was nothing to indicate there was trouble, but something didn\u2019t feel right. I even asked Margot\u2019s parents why the girls wouldn\u2019t just tell us their intention instead of running away.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sara took up the story again, \u201cThe Tanners said they were probably afraid we might have tried to talk them out of it. Then they laughed and ventured to say that we probably did something a little wild and unexpected when we were young too.\u201d She sniffed, \u201cImagine saying something like that after we trusted them to look after Missy\u2026like it was a natural part of life to take off without a word or saying goodbye.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDid you go after her in San Francisco?\u201d Ben asked, as a queasy feeling overtook him again while his mind turned briefly back to the situation he\u2019d created that forced Adam to leave without a word.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cal offered, \u201cWe alerted the police there and they searched for the girls but didn\u2019t find anything to indicate they ever arrived. Neither the stage office in Virginia City nor San Francisco had memory of the girls leaving or arriving by coach, and no one in town knew anything either. It took a long time to get that information back and any trail they might have left was cold by then.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sara added, \u201cWe finally figured that they must have gotten a ride with a supply wagon or maybe even a family heading west. But now, from what your son told us, they were in Placerville.\u201d She smiled at Ben. \u201cYou have a wonderful son, Mr. Cartwright. He was able to tell us about that awful Margot in such a way that it made us proud of our daughter.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s eyebrows rose as he confessed, \u201cI haven\u2019t spoken to my son since he left here, so I\u2019m not sure what he found out. He must have talked to Margot in town. We only know the lies that she told us, and then, of course the truth from Jake.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cLet me tell you Mr. Cartwright, that Margot Tanner is some crazy woman.\u201d Cal looked away. \u201cI don\u2019t usually attribute evilness to women; they don\u2019t seem to be made that way. But our daughter was only gone from April to September, and in that time, she got herself in trouble and let that woman convince her that we wouldn\u2019t want her back in that condition.\u201d The angry, anguished man looked up at Ben. \u201cHow could that happen? Missy was our child. How could she believe such lies? She had to have known we\u2019d be worried sick\u2026and yet Margo obviously persuaded her to believe otherwise.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben wondered the same thing. Margot had promoted the case that Adam had fathered an illegitimate child and made her plight so real that he\u2019d been swayed to give her the benefit of the doubt. In his heart he\u2019d always known that this behavior was so counter to Adam\u2019s beliefs, and yet\u2026Margot had planted seeds that made him question his son\u2019s honesty. He shivered with the memory of their conversation and had no doubt that Margot could be extremely convincing\u2014especially if given months to work on her cause. He told the Reeds, \u201cThe woman can be very persuasive. I can attest to that.\u201d After a pause, he asked, \u201cYou never heard from Missy again?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Cal replied, \u201cWe always kept our eyes open for her wherever we went, and kept in touch with the Tanners, but they died a few years back in a fire. They once told us that Margot had sent a note saying they were both working and happy and felt they were better off not returning home. There was no return address and no way to follow it back to them.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben was stymied. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t sound like the Tanners seemed very upset by all of this.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sara\u2019s answer was clipped with anger. \u201cYou can say that again. They actually told us that they\u00a0expected<\/em>\u00a0that Margot would up and leave someday. They called her a little flighty and impulsive, and then apologized half-heartedly that Missy got caught up in their daughter\u2019s plans. What a thing to admit\u2026 Why would they invite our child into such a situation?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cRemember, Sara, they finally told us that they hoped Missy might make their daughter settle down a little,\u201d Cal supplied.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m so sorry for you.\u201d Ben could understand the pain the Reeds were feeling. Adam had only been away a few days; what would years of that worry do to someone?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe spent all these years wondering if we\u2019d done something wrong, or maybe said something that had sent our daughter away. I guess we always had hope that she\u2019d come home when she got tired of whatever it was she was doing. It was such a shock to hear of her death, and yet we also suspected that message might come as well.\u201d Sara\u2019s tone softened, \u201cAnd then your son told us why she\u2019d gone away and that our grandson was strong and healthy and needing us\u2026 It softened the sting to know that there was a something of Missy for us to love and care for.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou must be proud of that son of yours, Mr. Cartwright,\u201d Cal repeated. \u201cHe got the story from Margot and told us what she tried to do to your family, but also how our Jake was truthful and put an end to the lies.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sara added, \u201cAnd he even got money from Margot that Missy had saved from her work as a seamstress so\u2019s we\u2019d have a little extra for Jake\u2019s upbringing. What a nice man\u2026and so thoughtful and kind. I think if we\u2019d heard this news from anyone else it might have left us too sad to go on. But Adam did it in a way that we could be glad for what we still had, and not linger in what we\u2019d lost.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The conversation shook Ben. He was left wondering how he could have put Adam through the basest of inquisitions. It was hard to think that others saw the goodness in his son that he had overlooked as he\u2019d let his mind overrule the truth that was right in front of him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Jake showed his grandparents around the Ponderosa and the two families shared a meal before the Reeds prepared to head home.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Before leaving, Cal took Ben aside. \u201cAdam said that Missy worked as a seamstress, and although my wife can look past the obvious, I can\u2019t. There\u2019s no way my daughter could have saved as much as your son gave us, so I suspect that money was his. He seemed almost as saddened over all this as we were, and I\u2019m pretty sure he told us that money was Missy\u2019s so we could take it with dignity.\u00a0 Heaven knows we can use it. I asked Adam about Jake\u2019s father and he said Margot swore that they never saw him again. Of course I want to go kill the low down son of a\u2026the man\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Both men chuckled at Cal\u2019s sentiment.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cBut Adam said I should concentrate on raising Jake and he\u2019d see what he could find out about Ned Seeley. We both figure that he\u2019s either moved on or dead by this time.\u201d He touched Ben\u2019s shoulder. \u201cForgive me for going on a bit, but your son is a good man, Mr. Cartwright, and I just want to make sure you know how highly I regard him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A quiet sadness lingered long after the Reed\u2019s wagon disappeared. Ben realized that Adam had been right about everything, and just as Hoss had postulated, the whole situation with Margot had been \u201coff.\u201d He knew that he had let emotions direct his thoughts while Adam\u2019s logical search for the truth had made it possible for Jake to reunite with his real family. However, Ben remained convinced that his questioning had helped to push toward the truth. It was his opinion that Adam should be able to see that and get over his anger.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss and Little Joe were relieved that the situation had ended to Jake\u2019s benefit, but they had seen Adam ride away carrying a heavy burden. When Joe asked Hoss if he thought Adam would come back home, the middle child commented sadly, \u201cMaybe some things aren\u2019t so forgivable, Joe. Maybe when the bridge of trust is burned to bits it can\u2019t be repaired without some mighty reconstruction.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When Adam hadn\u2019t returned by the fifth morning, Ben\u2019s resolve that his son should make the first move to mend their differences had waned, and he told his sons that he needed to get to town for business matters, casually adding that he planned to stop at the hotel to take Adam for lunch. \u201cMaybe,\u201d he told the boys with a wry smile, \u201cI might have been a little out of line.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss nudged Joe as they watched Ben exit the house with a pronounced lightness to his step. \u201cMaybe now that Pa can see things more clearly, we just might get that bridge built again.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Little Joe laughed, \u201cIf it\u2019ll help, I slip the boards and nails in Pa\u2019s saddlebags!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben banged on the bell, summoning the desk clerk at the International House.\u00a0“It’s a beautiful\u00a0day, my good fellow,\u201d Ben pronounced happily. \u201cMight you tell me which room my son is occupying?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The clerk swallowed hard as he considered the news he was about to impart. Everyone knew Ben Cartwright had a temper, and the clerk was in no mood to be on the receiving end of it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWell?\u201d Ben asked again\u2014louder this time\u2014shocking the poor man back to the present.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cUm, I\u2019m sorry sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t be sorry, just tell me what room he\u2019s in!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOh, my. I\u2019m not sorry about not telling you, Mr. Cartwright. I\u2019m sorry because your son isn\u2019t here. He checked out this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taken aback, Ben considered that if Adam had headed for home, he would surely have met him on his way in. \u201cChecked out? Did he say where he was headed?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAway, sir. He just said he was going, \u2018away.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDid he leave anything? A note\u2026anything?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid not sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben held onto the edge of the desk as his head swam. How could he have been so foolish? Why had he waited so long to find Adam and tell him he was sorry? He had known he was wrong from the moment the words had left his mouth. Was it as Hoss had said\u2014that his desperation for the Cartwright line to continue was so strong that it made its way into his thoughts without him even realizing it? And had this need tainted his reasoning a few days earlier and destroyed a relationship with Adam that he’d thought could withstand anything? He finally regained control and said, \u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Walking out into the dazzling sunlight, Ben raised a hand to his eyes, scanning the horizon hoping to catch a glance of his\u00a0missing child.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss had been right. A bridge had been burned and there was no foreseeable means of repair. Swinging onto Buck\u2019s back, he turned toward his place of solace and reason, pulling the reins in the direction of home.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Burning Bridges<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Part 2 \u2013 Adam\u2019s Story: The Search for Truth<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

One<\/strong><\/p>\n

Journey to Darkness<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam rested his arms behind his head as he reclined on his bed in the International House. He was still upset and angry with his father for the accusations and suggestion that he held a responsibility for Jake and the situation with Margot. He\u2019d been in a daze when he\u2019d ridden from the ranch and had gone in search of the pieces that had come together to turn his life into an instant nightmare.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam had spoken to Margot since then and nothing seemed any clearer. The conversations had netted some information about Jake and his mother, Missy, but he wondered how much of what Margot had told him was a lie. His mind kept moving in circles, trying to put together what had happened. Unfortunately, he always made it back around to the beginning\u2014still wondering\u2014still without answers.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Four days ago his days were filled with hard work, and his evenings were spent doing what pleased him. His relationship with his father was solid\u2014a bond he thought would never be broken. His life on the Ponderosa satisfied him, and he was looking forward to promoting the family business while continuing to garner lucrative timber and beef contracts as he had been doing of late. He wasn\u2019t sure how long he planned to stay in Nevada, but things were going well, and he had no plans to leave in the near future. His life since returning from Boston revolved around his work and his family, and now it seemed that had all been taken from him in one ugly, unfathomable lie.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He pictured himself walking into the house four days ago, and wondering what was bothering his father so deeply that he looked like a bull getting ready to charge. Ben had commanded, \u201cAdam, sit down.\u201d The man had paced as his face got redder and finally turned to him and shouted, \u201cDid you father a child with a woman named Margot Tanner?\u201d Adam now had a pretty good idea of what it felt like to feel the trap door open under your feet while standing on a gallows with a noose around your neck. There was no time to figure out what was happening. The accusation had been made and the bottom had fallen out from under him as he had struggled to breathe.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He\u2019d been running on anger and adrenaline since then. After he\u2019d ridden from the Ponderosa, he\u2019d found Margot at a Virginia City boarding house and cornered her as she\u2019d tried to run away. He relived the conversation as a chill coursed through his body:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cJake told us the truth, Margot, and now I need to know what this was all about.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 She gave him a defiant look but quickly settled into an eerie meekness. \u201cListen,\u201d she pleaded, \u201cI know it was wrong, but I was desperate.\u201d She tried to elicit pity with a few forced tears, but as she sensed that her ploy was useless, her true-self resurfaced and her face became an ugly sneer. \u201cBut I suppose that\u2019s something Adam Cartwright has never experienced.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He gripped both her arms, forcing her to face him. \u201cWhat do you know about what I\u2019ve experienced? And even more importantly, what has that got to do with what you tried to pull?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 She sighed deeply as she rolled her eyes. \u201cI needed cash, and figured your pa was an easy target after I heard him whining about not having grandkids yet. It wasn\u2019t like I could go to a regular bank and get money, so I figured I\u2019d make a withdrawal from the Cartwright reserve.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut why go to such extremes? You could have gone to Sheriff Coffee to get in touch with Jake\u2019s grandparents, and then taken a job to get back on your feet.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Her lips curled in derision. \u201cYou think you\u2019ve got it all figured out, Mr. High-and-Mighty! A girl like me isn\u2019t likely to find any job making money that would keep me \u2018on my feet,\u2019 if you know what I mean.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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

Margot\u2019s comment stung like a slap and Adam was in no mood to be lectured by an extortionist. \u201cPerhaps we fill the roles we aspire to.\u201d He saw her flinch and knew he\u2019d hit a nerve. \u201cLet\u2019s just work at telling the truth so that I can get Jake to his family. I really don\u2019t care to talk to you, but find it a necessity if I want to help the boy. Here\u2019s the only deal I\u2019ll offer you: You answer me truthfully and I won\u2019t press charges for what you tried to do. Keep dancing around it and you\u2019re going to jail.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Margot pulled free of Adam\u2019s grasp but didn\u2019t try to run away. \u201cWhat do you want to know?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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

In the next few minutes, he\u2019d found out that Margot and Missy had been in Placerville since leaving Virginia City, and that Missy had worked as a seamstress there while raising Jake. He\u2019d also managed to get the name of Jake\u2019s father and a few other details before he\u2019d escorted Margot to Sheriff Coffee\u2019s office where he\u2019d laid out the facts for Roy and made Margot agree to get out of town and never come back.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam shivered again as he sat up and scrubbed his hands across his face. It was the conversation with Margot in Roy\u2019s office that kept haunting him and pushing him toward a decision.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnswer a question for me. Jake said that you always held a grudge about something I did to you and felt I should be brought down a peg or two. I hardly knew you, Margot. What did I do to you?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNothin\u2019,\u201d she spat.<\/em><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He laughed contemptuously. \u201cThis hardly feels like nothin\u2019. You came back here, spread gossip about me, then told my pa that I fathered a child\u2014that wasn\u2019t even yours, and tried to get money from him. I\u2019d say this was a whole lot of something!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Her tone turned venomous. \u201cYou know what this is about.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo\u2026I honestly don\u2019t, so you\u2019ll have to tell me.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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

\u201cRemember back before you went away to school, you saw me at the general store? I was there with Missy and caught your eye as you stood there with your father. I\u2019d always heard how much you liked books, so I went up to you and said that I was looking for a book of poetry. I asked if you had any suggestion. Even though I could have cared less about reading that trash, I figured it was a way to approach you so\u2019s you\u2019d think I was smart. You perked right up and came to stand close behind me while we looked through the books on Cass\u2019s shelf. You brushed my neck a few times as you reached over my shoulder, and I just knew that you cared for me.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Adam tried to remember. \u201cThat\u2019s some time back, Margot. I vaguely remember recommending a book to you, but that\u2019s the extent of it.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHa,\u201d she snorted, \u201cYou can say that now, but back then you knew exactly what you were doing. I bought that book, and the first poem was, She Walks in Beauty. It was so wonderful that I knew you meant to it to tell me how you felt about me.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He was at a loss. \u201cWhat are you talking about?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cStop it, Adam!\u201d she hollered. \u201cStop denying it. I knew you loved me and that was your way of telling me. You wanted me to know that I walked in beauty, just like the woman in that poem. I expected you\u2019d show up before you went away to school\u2014to propose to me and take me with you. Jeb Smyth had that party at his house, and he said you\u2019d be there, and that\u2019s when I thought it would happen. You were supposed to come and get down on your knee and say that you loved me and wanted me for all time.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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

Even now Adam\u2019s eyes widened and he drew a sharp breath remembering the haunted look on Margot\u2019s face as she\u2019d told him these things. He blew his breath out in a low whistle just as he\u2019d done a few days earlier as he\u2019d replied, \u201cYou\u2019re insane.\u201d He\u2019d figured those two words would put an end to her raving, but Margot hadn\u2019t stopped.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t say that! I know you\u2019re protecting your old man. He probably got wind of what you were planning and didn\u2019t want me in your fancy family. I always knew that he didn\u2019t let you come to the party that day. That\u2019s why I tried to get the money out of him. I thought it would serve him right to pay me for what he did to me back then.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He tried to reason with her. \u201cMy father couldn\u2019t have thwarted my plans for us to be together because I had no such plans! Again, all I did was suggest a book for you to read. I never loved you\u2014can\u2019t say I ever thought again about you. It seems like you took a simple conversation and constructed a fairy tale around it. And what\u2019s worse is that it seems you\u2019re still living in that fantasy.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 She went quiet before finishing her thoughts. \u201cYou\u2019re a son-of-a-bitch, Adam Cartwright. I reckoned it was your pa that messed things up for us.\u201d She gave a howling laugh. \u201cBut now I see that you thought you were too good for me too or you\u2019d have come for me even if your pa didn\u2019t approve. I love you, and I think if you\u2019d stop to think about it, you\u2019d remember that you love me too and it\u2019s just your snooty family keeping you from seeing the truth.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Her eyes turned dark as her mouth narrowed to a snakelike slit. \u201cI expect that you\u2019ll see the error of your ways before you leave this earth, and will regret the way you done me wrong. Just wait\u2026one day you\u2019ll wish you\u2019d come for me.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/em>She\u2019d reached for him then, clawing at his shoulders\u2014trying to draw him into an embrace while she professed her love, but he\u2019d moved her arms away and had walked out of Roy\u2019s office without another word. The sheriff had followed him out, saying, \u201cThat is one crazy woman. You\u2019re sure you don\u2019t want me to charge her with something?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He knew that Roy had gotten a telegram back from Placerville and there were no warrants or any formal complaints against Margot, so Adam hadn\u2019t wanted to put his family through a trial in Virginia City where her insane lies might find an interested audience. \u201cJust get her out of here.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Roy had replied, \u201cSure, if that\u2019s what you want. Personally, I don\u2019t think this is over yet, and I\u2019d be very careful about that woman. The telegram from Sheriff Andrews in Placerville was careful to say that there were no \u2018formal\u2019 charges, so I have to wonder what Andy might know informally.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam remembered thinking that it was probably time to find that out, but said nothing more to Roy other than to thank him for the help and to let him know that he was going to find Jake\u2019s family and let them know where he was.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It was Roy\u2019s words that had finally convinced Adam that he might have a responsibility after all\u2014maybe not to his pa, Jake, Margot, or the Reeds\u2014but to himself. With an innocent gesture, he\u2019d inadvertently become involved in something strange and unpredictable that had been growing for 12 years. He had to know if anything that had been said, implied or lied about over those years might still come back to harm him or his family.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After finishing with Margot, he\u2019d ridden to the Reeds\u2019 ranch and told them about Missy and Jake. As he\u2019d looked around, he\u2019d realized that Margot\u2019s comments to the boy about his grandparents needing extra cash to care for him had been valid, even if she hadn\u2019t known that to be true.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The family lived on a decent-sized homestead, but they were obviously struggling. Having another mouth to feed wasn\u2019t going to make their life any easier. For someone who knew ranching from the ground up, Adam spotted the problems quickly. The land had too few grazing acres to feed a herd of cattle, and although they had a few cash crops growing, the soil didn\u2019t seem fertile enough to sustain them to maturity. The house and barn needed upkeep, and the equipment scattered around the yard was in varying states of disrepair.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He\u2019d known that Margot never intended to use any money that she might have tricked his father into giving her to help this family, but Adam had given the Reeds cash he\u2019d removed from his own bank account, saying it was what Missy had saved up over the years. In Adam\u2019s opinion, Cal Reed hadn\u2019t believed a word of it, but in the end he\u2019d accepted it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Two<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ashes, Ashes, the Bridge Falls Down<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam waited at the International House to make sure that Margot was gone, and then took a day to sort out what he needed to do to put this situation behind him. He awoke on the fifth morning knowing what he would do.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

If his father was going to seek reconciliation for what had taken place between them, he\u2019d have come into town by this time. The thought of leaving without speaking to him left Adam uneasy and saddened, yet he wasn\u2019t about to reopen the wounds that had been inflicted in that last conversation. He had come to some understanding in the matter, and was neither as angry nor as hurt as he\u2019d been that day. But since his father had made no effort to see him, it became clear that the breech between them wasn\u2019t going to be crossed now.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He packed his things, paid his bill, and mentioning only that he was going away, set off on a journey for the truth.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He actually rode across the southeastern section of the Ponderosa to follow a path along the shore of Tahoe as a shortcut to the road into Placerville. There was one moment where he slowed Sport at a fork in the road: one branch leading to his destination, the other toward his home. He hesitated there as Sport\u2019s natural inclination pulled in the direction of the house. In the end he moved the reins to the left and headed away, even as his heart had longed to follow where Sport\u2019s instincts had drawn him.<\/p>\n

Three<\/strong><\/p>\n

An Unholy Tale<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adam arrived in Placerville with only enough time to find a room and get a few restless hours of sleep before heading to the jail in hopes of discovering what had been hidden between the lines of the telegram to Roy Coffee.<\/p>\n

\u201cSit down, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d Sheriff Andrews indicated the only available chair as he began shuffling through the stack of papers on his desk. \u201cI expected I might get a visit from someone out of Virginia City after that wire about Margot Tanner.\u201d The paper shuffling continued until he found what he wanted. \u201cAh, here they are.\u201d He sat, angling himself on the corner of his desktop and smiled at his visitor. \u201cAre you one of the Cartwrights from the Ponderosa?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cBen Cartwright is my father. I\u2019m the oldest son.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The sheriff nodded, knowingly. \u201cSeems I heard something about Margot being engaged to one of the Cartwrights. Would that be you?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo, sir, and yet the answer is a little more complicated than that. I barely knew the woman back when I was a teenager, but she\u2019s got some fairy tale going on in her mind that there was a romantic connection between us. Honestly, I talked to Margot one time in my life, and yet\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo need to say more, son.\u201d Sheriff Andrews laughed as he reached to pat Adam on the shoulder. \u201cFar less acquaintance with Margot Tanner has brought far worse consequences for other men\u2014or so I\u2019ve started to hear. What\u2019s she done up in Virginia City?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cLies and extortion to start with, but I have the uneasy feeling that\u2019s there\u2019s probably lots more that I need to learn.\u201d Adam sighed. \u201cI\u2019m hoping you can help me figure out what she\u2019s been up to the last 12 years.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Andrews handed over the small stack of papers he\u2019d removed from the pile on his desk. \u201cWhen Roy sent me that telegram, I went back over these, but there\u2019s nothing there that I could have made a case with.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam paged through, glancing at the handwritten statements about Margot. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of serious accusations here\u2026but I assume there\u2019s no proof?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s it exactly.\u201d Andrews took the pages from Adam explaining, \u201cNo one had the nerve to say anything about her when she was here. I\u2019m sure there was always some thought and conjecture, but no one wanted to point a finger. Once she left, the tales started flowing in as people tried to get the guilt off their chests.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cGuilt?\u201d Adam was confused. \u201cWhy would they feel guilt?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThey all knew something wasn\u2019t right with her. Many of the girls she worked with knew what she was pulling, but couldn\u2019t tell. Some of these same people had been pulled into her schemes and forced to participate, so they were afraid they might be charged with something too. Most of the men she threatened or blackmailed wouldn\u2019t say anything. Even the old woman Missy worked for had her suspicions. After Margot pulled out, the sluicegates opened with information, but there were no facts to follow up on and therefore nothing I could do about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The sheriff stopped for a moment before remembering what had bothered him at the time Margot left. \u201cMargot took off with Missy\u2019s boy. She and his mother were friends and they lived in that house together all the while they were here. The kid even called her Aunty Margot so we couldn\u2019t rightly say that she couldn\u2019t take him. I never knew most of the things she\u2019s being accused of until after she was gone. Was the boy with her in Virginia City?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam nodded. \u201cHe was part of the extortion. Margot went to my father saying that Jake was hers\u2026and mine, with the intent of getting him to pay her for her trouble in raising a Cartwright grandchild.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Andrews gave Adam a sidelong glance. \u201cI thought you said you barely knew her. How could she try to pull that?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShe waited until I was gone before going to my father with a story. I got back earlier than she planned and put an end to the lie.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThe kid played along with it\u2026I mean with her being his mother and all? He seemed to be a nice boy and Missy was a nice woman. Did you know her too?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t say I ever even talked to Missy, but did see her with Margot. I don\u2019t think Jake had a lot of choice in playing along. But since Margot wasn\u2019t around when I got back, he told me the truth. From what you just told me, it seems like there\u2019s a lot of fear and resignation to doing whatever Margot requires when she\u2019s present. With the information Jake gave me, I was able to find his grandparents; he\u2019s with them now. They\u2019re good people.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a relief. So what\u2019d you do about Margot?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam paused before answering. \u201cI let her go with an escort to the stage from Sheriff Coffee.\u201d His eyebrows arched as his face took on a sour look, \u201cBut I have a bad feeling that I haven\u2019t seen the last of her. That\u2019s why I\u2019m here trying to find out a little more of what\u2019s she\u2019s been saying and doing. Maybe I can get a better idea of what she\u2019s capable of.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Rising, the sheriff motioned for Adam to follow him and they exited the jail. \u201cThe best way for you to find out is to talk to the people of this town. They\u2019ll be all too willing to tell you about the Tanner woman and can give you a lot more information than I can.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Pointing left he indicated a number of buildings on the far side of the street. \u201cMargot worked at every saloon in Placerville, so start with any of them and work your way on through until you can\u2019t stand hearing about her no more.\u201d He laughed and pointed the opposite direction. Missy and Margot had a small place just outside the city, but there\u2019s a new renter and not much that you\u2019ll find there. However, at the edge of town is a seamstress, name of Adelaide Barker. She\u2019s an older lady who had Missy working for her the entire time she was here.\u00a0 She can give you an earful that will make your skin crawl\u2026as long as you can stomach her weak tea and tendency to get lost in the telling from time to time.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI think I can handle that,\u201d Adam smiled. \u201cI can\u2019t say that investigating this will be pleasant, but I\u2019m of the opinion that it might be intriguing.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sheriff Andrews looked upward trying to put his final thoughts into words. \u201cI can\u2019t say I\u2019ve ever met a woman like Margot Tanner. She could be sweet one minute, then flying off in a rage the next. And if you ever caught her in a lie, she\u2019d act like it was you who was daft and look you in the eye and lie even more until you couldn\u2019t make out just exactly what her position was on anything. She\u2019d start with one story, then veer off and just as quickly come back to the original rendition. And I swear that she believed everything she was saying was true, no matter how far afield it had gotten. Strangest thing I ever did experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam nodded. \u201cI think I\u2019ve experienced that as well.\u201d Tipping his hat, he renewed his thanks and set off for the nearest saloon.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Four<\/strong><\/p>\n

All the News That\u2019s Fit to Tell<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

By evening, Adam was in his fifth saloon and had heard so many confessions that his mind was numb and balking at being forced to listen to any more. From the first place he\u2019d visited, all he\u2019d had to do was tell the barkeep why he was there, then head to quiet place at the back of the saloon and wait. Before long, there was a steady stream of penitents making their way to his table. All confessors had a similar theme: they\u2019d known what Margot was up to, but were afraid of her wrath if they\u2019d done something about it at the time. He\u2019d been unable to grant absolution to those seeking to alleviate their guilt, but had listened, and in that he had allowed those involved to finally hear Margot\u2019s evil exposed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Most of those he\u2019d spoken with had told of trusting the woman at one time, even viewing her as a friend, only to have her turn on them. She\u2019d often used their goodwill toward her to involve them in schemes to hurt someone else she felt had disrespected her or thwarted some plan. And after seeing what she was capable of doing to others, they\u2019d been unwilling to expose her acts for fear of bringing themselves into the backwash. Those who\u2019d refused further involvement paid dearly for standing up to her as she destroyed their lives with lies and half-truths.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

There was one woman who\u2019d brought information that was directly related to him. He met Monica at the Gold Nugget Saloon, the watering hole that had first hired Margot.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

While he sipped at a brandy and waited for the next person to make their way to his table in this saloon, he let his mind drift back to that earlier conversation.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSo you\u2019re Adam Cartwright,\u201d Monica smiled as she took a seat next to him at the table. \u201cYou know, I didn\u2019t believe that you existed.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 His questioning look brought his brows together at the bridge of his nose. \u201cWell you can poke me to be sure, but I\u2019ve been around for nearly 30 years. What made you think I wasn\u2019t real?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhen Margot first got here, she said she left her hometown because her friend was in a family way and she came along so Missy wouldn\u2019t be alone. That made sense because we all saw Missy around town, and she and Margot did seem to be friends.\u201d She smiled, but then her eyes took on a devilish look as her lips curled in a grin, \u201cShoot, if I\u2019d known you were real\u2026and this handsome, I\u2019d have come looking for you myself.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Adam shook his head as he grinned back. \u201cSo what do I have to do with this story?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMargot said that the saddest part was that she\u2019d left behind a fianc\u00e9\u2026an Adam Cartwright, the son of a rich rancher.\u201d Monica winked, \u201cThat true mister? Are you rich?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Adam snapped, \u201cMy father owns a large ranch\u2014that much is true.\u201d His voice calmed as he finished, \u201cBut I assure you that I was never Margot Tanner\u2019s fianc\u00e9.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 She tipped her head and stared at him with a puzzled look, and then continued on with her story. \u201cWhen we\u2019d ask about her intended, Margot said that he was in school back East and would come for her when he got home. But after a number of years, her story had to change. You would have had to be the stupidest man alive to be in school that long!\u201d They both laughed. \u201cI wasn\u2019t quite so scared of Miss Margot as others, so I poked away at her whenever I got the chance, asking when her prince was coming to get her. She eventually said you\u2019d come home and was getting things ready for the two of you. Finally she gave us the sad news that your pa didn\u2019t want you to marry her and was keeping the two of you apart.\u201d The teasing tone left as she looked him in the eye, \u201cI\u2019m suspecting that none of that was true?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A resigned sigh preceded his thought. \u201cAs I\u2019m finding out with this woman, there\u2019s always some truth, isn\u2019t there. I did go to school in Boston, and came home again. If that alone makes me her fianc\u00e9, then I stand guilty.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Monica laid her hand on Adam\u2019s arm as she leaned close, \u201cI never believed a word of it. Any self-respecting man would run as fast and far from that\u2026woman\u2026as his legs could carry him.\u201d She breathed into his ear, as her playful manner reappeared, \u201cAnd concerning those legs of yours\u2026I think I might like to have my own legs wrapped around them for an hour or two sometime soon.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Adam\u2019s heart gave a double beat at her suggestion. She was a pretty woman, and he was so tired, lonely and confused that for a brief moment, the thought of spending a few hours tangled in some mindless activity with her had produced a deep aching need. But he shrugged it off with a shiver; this was neither the time nor place to let his mind\u2014or body\u2014get sidetracked.<\/em><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He leaned toward her, reflecting her mischievousness, \u201cI\u2019ve got too much on my mind right now. Perhaps another time?\u201d He winked at her and she laughed.<\/em><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDidn\u2019t expect you would, honey. The good ones never do.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As he drew himself back into the present, the same deep shiver of desire overtook him again. He moved past it as a wide yawn distorted his face and he reached upward to stretch his back. The momentary position change caused his head to swim and sent his stomach contents into vertical motion. Bringing his arms to his side, he drew in deep breaths until the spinning stopped and the nausea settled. The upset to his equilibrium made him remember that he\u2019d been at this marathon session of inquiry since mid-morning and hadn\u2019t stopped to eat or move except when walking from one saloon to the next.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

While he hadn\u2019t had a lot to drink at any one time during the day, he\u2019d sipped brandy at each stop, and the acidic mix he\u2019d just regurgitated indicated he needed to put something in his stomach besides alcohol. It was evening already, and the saloon was filling with patrons who were intent on having a good time rather than needing to get something off their chests. The change in atmosphere convinced him that he\u2019d heard enough to catch the pattern of Margot\u2019s behavior and decided he\u2019d be best off getting a bite to eat and calling it a day.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He planned to spend the next day with Adelaide Barker, the seamstress that Missy had worked for, and he suspected that the meeting with would bring valuable information. Older people often had a sense about things that was right on the money because in their patience, they saw and heard what other didn\u2019t. Since Adelaide had observed Missy and Margot in action for many years, Adam knew there would be a nice return for anyone willing to mine her memories.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The meal at the cafe where he dined was fairly priced and filling, yet unsatisfying. In the Cartwright household, everyone was expected to be home for dinner unless there was a good reason for their absence. While Adam coveted solitude most times, he was used to conversation and even spirited disagreements aired across the dinner table and found that eating alone left him as unfilled as an insufficient portion of food. He hurried through a quiet dinner and headed to his room to go over his plans.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Five<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Lady in the Shadows<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He\u2019d barely made it through the hotel doors, when the desk clerk came running over and pointed to a dark corner of the lobby. \u201cA woman\u2019s been waiting to see you, Mr. Cartwright. She\u2019s over there.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam saw a petite young woman rise from the shadows and walk toward him. She wore a printed cotton dress with a heavy shawl pulled tightly around her shoulders as if the air in the room was chilly, when in fact it was a clement evening and the hotel was warm enough that beads of perspiration dotted her forehead like dew.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her voice was shy and quiet, \u201cAre you Mr. Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYes, ma\u2019am.\u201d He removed his hat and motioned her toward a quiet corner of the lobby. \u201cWhat may I do for you?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMonica told me that you was in town asking questions about Margot Tanner. She said I should come talk with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He gave her a kindly smile. \u201cDo you have something you\u2019d like to tell me?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She nodded, but said nothing.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDid you know her?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her hands covered her eyes as she began to cry silently. Adam took the handkerchief from his pocket and moved her hands away to dry the tears and said, \u201cTell me about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She managed to whisper, \u201cYou\u2019ll think I\u2019m an evil woman, just like her.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He touched her chin gently, raising her face to look into her eyes. \u201cI assure you that isn\u2019t true. Just tell me the facts. There\u2019ll be no judgment.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A small smile flitted across her lips before she took a deep breath and stepped into her tale.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI was living with some neighbors after my folks died, and they couldn\u2019t afford to keep me. Mining was bringing a lot of people into Placerville, so I was brought to town and set up with a job at the Grub Stake saloon. That\u2019s where I met Margot\u201d Her cheeks went pink before beginning again, \u201cBy the way, my name\u2019s Maribelle, but folks just call me Belle.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam sat back to listen, feeling that his companion had started to relax. \u201cIt\u2019s a pleasure, Belle.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her blush rose again as she resumed her story. \u201cThat saloon was a dark, natty place, but at first I thought it was fun dressin\u2019 up in them fancies and didn\u2019t mind servin\u2019 drinks or sittin\u2019 on the men\u2019s knees to get them to up their tab\u2026 It was better than where I\u2019d been livin\u2019. But I was told there was more to the job\u2026that the miners were lonesome folk who needed a little more than I was givin\u2019 them.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI understand, Belle. I\u2019m assuming this is where Margot enters your story?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She nodded. \u201cAt first she were real nice to me and explained lots of things so\u2019s I wouldn\u2019t be so scared. Eventually she said she liked me enough that she were gonna teach me her tricks.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cTricks?\u201d Adam\u2019s forehead rose in a puzzled look.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHonestly, Mr. Cartwright, it weren\u2019t so bad and it made things easier\u2026for a while anyway. Margot said she had a system for choosing men in the bar to be friendly with. We looked for men we didn\u2019t know, and weren\u2019t the drifters or miners. We went for the ones in suits who\u2019d pull out a roll of cash to peel off a few dollars for the barkeep and the gaming tables. Margot called them the \u2018pillar of the community types\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her blush went from pink to maroon, but Adam knew she\u2019d push on just as the others had done earlier. It seemed that people could only find peace after hearing the insanity spoken aloud.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSee, Margot knew the young bucks and regular drinkers could hold their liquor. But these pillar types were usually in bed by nine and not used to drinking as hard and heavy as we pushed them to do. They were nearly fallin\u2019 asleep by the time we suggested they join us upstairs for some special service. What amazed me most about these men was that they had families back home and would talk about their wife and kids, their houses and businesses, all while they was plannin\u2019 on committin\u2019 several kinds of sins with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

His laugh rang out in the quiet lobby. \u201cDo I understand this correctly? You\u2019d get these \u2018pillars\u2019 drunk and then take them upstairs and let them fall asleep?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Belle smiled for the first time. \u201cWe didn\u2019t steal their money\u2026then\u2026and they didn\u2019t know that they\u2019d missed out on anything. When one of us hooked a pillar, we got them to the rooms and kept them drinking until they passed out. Then the other of us would come in to help get the guy undressed and into bed. We\u2019d wait around until the man rousted a little and then we\u2019d mess up our hair and look breathless, telling them how wonderful they\u2019d been.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think there\u2019s much for you to feel badly in this, Belle. It sounds like they left feeling rested and pretty good about themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her eyes darkened as she pulled into herself again, wrapping the shawl tighter against the chill of her memories. \u201cThat was the beginning, mister, not the end. It\u2019s the last part that keeps me up at night.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Belle took another deep breath and began again, \u201cMargot\u2019s friend Missy had that baby, Jake, and Margot took care of the little guy while his mama worked. Now remember how I told you that these men gave us information? Margot kept a list of all their names, how much she thought they were worth and where she could get hold of them. She wrote a lot of letters in the first year of that baby\u2019s life.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cLetters? What does this have to do with Jake when he was a baby?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShe wrote to her \u2018pillars\u2019 sayin\u2019 that her union with them had produced an heir and she was gonna bring the child to his nice fancy house to meet his upstanding wife and family if he didn\u2019t \u00a0send money for the kid\u2019s upbringin\u2019. She sent the same sort of letters to the men I\u2019d been with saying I\u2019d had a child.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam sat back, stunned. \u201cAnd this worked?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMost times. Some just sent money, while others came storming over to Placerville demanding to see the child, and Margot would show them Jake. She always had a suitcase packed saying she was goin\u2019 back home with the guy. That\u2019d make \u2018em pay up real quick.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cProducing Jake was all it took? I\u2019m assuming that Margot did this just once\u2026I mean she didn\u2019t continue the blackmail?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cJust once, like you say. She said it was too dangerous to keep pulling it on the same man. But that first time, she usually got something out of everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShe couldn\u2019t have kept it up once Jake got old enough to talk.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShe made good money in that year writing to both her men and mine. You know, I\u2019m an uneducated woman and even I knowed it took some months to produce a child. Yet some of these men hadn\u2019t been gone more than a few weeks when she\u2019d send out the letters. How could they not know that it was a lie?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam reached for her hand as he smiled, \u201cThat\u2019s the sad thing, Belle. Men who get caught in a bad situation aren\u2019t always good at arithmetic and might pay to remain pillars of the community just as she figured.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSo you think I\u2019m like Margot.\u201d It was a statement, not a question.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He chewed on his lip as he thought how to respond. \u201cOn the surface, it would seem that\u2019s true. But there\u2019s no way you\u2019re like Margot Tanner. There must be other circumstances you haven\u2019t told me.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She nodded. \u201cI hated what Margot was doin\u2019 and told her it was illegal. She just laughed that crazy heehaw of hers and said that if I\u2019d say anything, we were both goin\u2019 to jail.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Belle laughed wryly. \u201cI\u2019m glad to say I never made a cent on that whole mess, yet she would have turned me in and lied about it\u2014I knew that for certain. She said she was keepin\u2019 the money.\u00a0 It was her fee for protectin\u2019 me from the riffraff that I would have ended up with if she weren\u2019t there.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSomething tells me that still wouldn\u2019t have kept you from doing the right thing. What happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSomeone died, Mr. Cartwright\u2026 and I thought I would too if I crossed her.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He sat up straight, jolted by her answer. \u201cAre you saying that you think Margot killed someone?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m saying that Margot got people to do things for her.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened, and how\u2019d you get away from her?\u201d He leaned forward, his brows knit in concern.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOne fella she tried to get money from made a stink here in town and went to the sheriff. Margot was questioned about it but of course she said the man was lying to get back at her for not doin\u2019 what he wanted of her. But during this time, the man doin\u2019 the accusin\u2019 was found dead on the side of the road. They suspected a robbery, but I knew that whatever happened got Margot out of a mess. Margot got fired from that saloon and she went quiet for a time after that.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She smiled shyly. \u201cI had a nice man sweet on me then and I married him and got away from here. We live outside of town. I think Margot forgot about me when there was nothin\u2019 more I could do for her. I figured she\u2019d let me alone if I kept my mouth shut.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam was stunned. \u201cI\u2019ve heard a lot today, but this\u2026this is different.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Belle rose to take her leave. \u201cI have to go now. Just never tell Margot that she\u2019s crazy. Seemed nothing set her off like them words did.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He thanked her and let her go after he was assured that she was staying with friends until her husband came for her in the morning. As he walked her to the door he asked a final question. \u201cWould you ever testify against Margot?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She pulled her shawl so tightly around her that the yarn looked taught enough to pop. She finally answered, \u201cIf you can catch her and would be there when she went on trial, I think I could. I think we was all just waiting for someone to come along that could stand up to her without meltin\u2019 in pure fear. I think you might just be that person.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Six<\/strong><\/p>\n

We Need a Hero<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

By the time he watched Belle cross the street to where she was staying, Adam was feeling so tired that the thought of climbing the flight of stairs to his room seemed daunting. His senses perked up as he neared his door, finding it slightly ajar. He squinted through the crack, trying to see if there was anyone inside, but it was fruitless and he finally made his way into the room behind his pistol.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As the door swung open, he heard a voice from the dimly lit chamber. \u201cPut your gun down before you shoot someone, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Stepping fully into the room, he grinned a tired half-smile. \u201cMiss Monica, I thought we had said goodbye earlier today.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSo we did, Mr. Cartwright. But you might change your mind once you know why I\u2019m here.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

His fatigue overtook him as he sank into a chair. \u201cListen, I think I owe you a debt of thanks for sending Belle to see me. But my thanks are all I can offer you. I just need a good night\u2019s sleep,\u201d He sighed deeply as muttered, \u201cIt feels like I haven\u2019t slept in weeks.\u201d\u00a0 He raised his head again to meet her gaze. \u201cI don\u2019t mean to be rude, but I need you to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She spoke from the bed where she was seated. \u201cI know you\u2019re tired, Mr. Cartwright. I can see the darkness under your eyes and the way you slump down whenever you think no one is looking. I have a sense about people and here\u2019s what I\u2019ve concluded about you.\u201d She came to stand behind her host, removed his hat, and began using her fingers to create circular motions on his forehead and scalp. \u201cJudging by the packed laundry bag you have waiting by the door, I suspect you\u2019ve been away from home a number of days already. And since you don\u2019t live\u00a0that far away<\/em>\u00a0from Placerville, I have to wonder why.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her hands moved to Adam\u2019s cheeks as she softly kneaded his jawline, eliciting a soft moan as she worked back toward his ears. \u201cI know who you are and who your father is, and had to wonder at the verbal bronco busting you did when you spoke of him\u00a0<\/em>this morning. I know that the Ponderosa isn\u2019t just a ranch, it\u2019s a\u00a0family\u00a0<\/em>ranch, and I suspect that whatever Margot did or said, put a wedge between you and your father\u2026and it\u2019s eating you up inside. I\u2019ve heard that when you poke one Cartwright, you poke \u2018em all, and better watch out. That\u2019s why you\u2019re here. You need to know why your family got poked by Margot Tanner.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She stopped and walked around to the front of the chair to see his face. \u201cAm I close? Whatever happened at your home has kept you awake, and searching for a truth that\u2019s going to lead you to places and circumstances you had no idea existed. I wondered what you were up to when you came into my saloon this morning. After talking to you and seeing how kind you were to the others who came by, I think you might be the one we\u2019ve been waiting for.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you talking about?\u201d he asked gruffly as he sat up straighter. \u201cHow could you possibly have been waiting for me?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSo many people here have wondered how they got caught up in Margot\u2019s web, Mr. Cartwright. When she left, some of us went to the sheriff with our theories and suspicions, but Andy can\u2019t bring charges for suspicions and there\u2019s not enough information to investigate.\u201d She reached forward to touch Adam\u2019s shoulders. \u201cYou are someone who\u2019s not only interested in finding out more, but have been wounded yourself. Maybe more was taken from you than you can comprehend and you want to know why. You\u2019re going to ride this to the end of the trail. I can see that in your tired eyes.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIf you see how tired I am, then will you please leave so that I can get some sleep?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou won\u2019t sleep, Mr. Cartwright. At least not any better than you have lately, so relax and allow me to give you the best night\u2019s rest of your life.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He shrugged her hands from his shoulders. \u201cI said I don\u2019t want this.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll change your mind, Mr. Cartwright. Trust me. It would be best if you disrobed and got into bed, but I can do it while you straddle a chair if you\u2019d rather.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam shot up, pointing to the open door. \u201cIt\u2019s time for you to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She laughed loudly while raising her arms in surrender. \u201cLet me tell you why I\u2019m here before you toss me out the door.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This had been one of the strangest days of his life and Adam had no doubt it was about to get even stranger. As he took a good look at his guest, he realized she was wearing street clothes rather than her shiny getup from the morning. She looked fresh and polished in her riding skirt and jacket. \u201cI thought you were pretty clear as to why you were here.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not even close. Let me tell you a little about myself. I don\u2019t work at the saloon where you met me, I own it. My husband and I opened it around the same time Margot came to town. Marcus made money in the California gold fields and said that we\u2019d come here and mine for a different kind of gold. It\u2019s one of the reasons Margot wasn\u2019t as threatening to me. In an odd way she respected that I could run a saloon\u2014while hating me for doing it. I actually hired her\u2026and fired her\u2026more than once. She always came back full of repentance and good will, and I admit she could charm people when she had a mind to. But then she\u2019d drift into that dark place of hers and get maudlin about you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

While Monica was speaking, she turned Adam\u2019s chair around and made him straddle it. He stared in interest as she removed her jacket and rolled up her sleeves, exposing her well-muscled arms.<\/p>\n

.<\/p>\n

\u201cI got off track there,\u201d she chuckled as she brought a pillow from the bed and tucked it under Adam\u2019s chin. \u201cMy husband died some years back and I got sick. I went to San Francisco to see a young Swedish doctor who was related to Per Heinrich Ling and worked with a person named George Mezger. Those names are important to this story because they are the men who developed what I\u2019m about to do. It turned out that I wasn\u2019t sick\u2014just exhausted. The clinic doctors got me to eat better, exercise and prescribed massage to help me relax. It made me a new woman, Mr. Cartwright. I took lessons from some of the massage practitioners while I was there, and returned a few times to improve my skills.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She moved behind Adam and placed her hands on the base of his skull and started to knead the tight muscles in his neck, working down to his shoulders. \u201cMassage has been performed for thousands of years, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m aware of that. I think even Hippocrates referenced it, didn\u2019t he?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHe did. The word massage means something akin to kneading dough.\u201d She began to work his shoulders, \u201cSort of feels that way, doesn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

His sigh became a groan as she pushed harder into the knotted muscles of his upper back. \u201cI\u2019m not sure how dough feels, but this feels good.\u201d He turned to look at her. \u201cBut if this is what you had in mind, why all the innuendo?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright,\u201d she began but was interrupted.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cCall me Adam. This \u2018Mr. Cartwright\u2019 stuff is getting tedious.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSure\u2026Adam\u2026I played with your mind a little to see what you were made of.\u201d She kept kneading as she explained. \u201cYou seemed like the real thing when I talked to you, but you can never tell with men.\u201d She laughed, \u201cBut then I suppose you were thinking the same thing about me. To put it bluntly, I needed to know if your intentions toward me came from above the neck or below the waist.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He laughed, \u201cDid I pass the test?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m here, aren\u2019t I? I felt you were as true as they come and after asking around at the other saloons you visited, my opinion was upheld. That\u2019s why I had Belle come see you. I thought I could trust you not to make her feel worse than she already does. I also know that you carry this mission you’re on heavy in your heart, and on your shoulders. I figured if I could help you sleep tonight, you\u2019d be better for the journey.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He leaned into her hands as she began kneading the muscles in his upper back.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou know that some of the Indian shamans from around these parts practice a form of massage.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

His voice sounded far away even to him as he uttered, \u201cThat\u2019s interesting.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She stopped again. \u201cIf you trust me, I\u2019d ask that you remove your shirt so I can use a little oil and press more deeply.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s shirt was on the floor in the time it took to yank it free and pull it over his head.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Monica warmed oil in her hands before digging deep into shoulders and upper back. \u201cAfter I got pretty good working with Dr. Ling\u2019s people, I came back here and offered my services to a few of the older ladies with arthritis and back problems. They were skeptical at first, but pretty soon were singing my praises to anyone who\u2019d listen. Now I don\u2019t have enough time to get to everyone who needs my service. I admit that I have one of the saloon bouncers around when I work on the miners who often think it might be just a prelude to something else. But it\u2019s gotten better as they see the benefits.\u201d She felt Adam\u2019s chuckle rumble through his rib cage.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her circular movements became elongated and firm as she explained, \u201cThis is called effleurage\u2014gliding strokes that relax the long muscles in your back\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Early morning sun was streaming into the room as Adam woke the next morning. He stretched and realized that he\u2019d slept soundly and without the dreams that had been tormenting him for the last week. \u201cShe was right,\u201d he muttered while arching his back like a cat. \u201cI do feel better and slept like a baby.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He whistled as he washed up and prepared for the day. \u00a0Monica was fresh and real\u2014and seemed to know things about him that he wasn\u2019t even sure about. He wanted to see her again and scribed a quick note with an invitation to dinner. On the way out of the hotel, he found a messenger and paid him to take it to her and then headed to his meeting with Adelaide.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Seven<\/strong><\/p>\n

A Little Weak Tea and Sympathy<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam waved to the tiny older woman who stood on the porch as he made his way toward her house. As he reached her gate she called out, \u201cMr. Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He extended his hand in greeting as he climbed the steps. \u201cYou must be Adelaide?\u201d The hand she laid in his was gnarled and deformed by arthritis, so he raised it to his lips for a kiss rather grasping it in a shake. \u201cI\u2019m most pleased to make your acquaintance.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She giggled. \u201cWell, aren\u2019t you the sweetest man. I haven\u2019t had my hand kissed like that since I left New Orleans when I was a tad younger than I am now.\u201d Moving toward the door she encouraged her guest, \u201cCome in, come in. I have coffee boiling, so sit there on the sofa and I\u2019ll get it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The smell of burning coffee assaulted Adam\u2019s nostrils as soon as he\u2019d walked through the door. \u201cMight I lend you a hand?\u201d After a moment of consideration, he added, \u201cHonestly, I really don\u2019t need anything to drink right now\u2026 maybe we could just talk.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adelaide peeked around the kitchen doorway, her gray bun bobbing on the top of her head as she laughed. \u201cDon\u2019t be silly. Every man wants a good cup of coffee.\u201d Her voice became apologetic, \u201cI always have tea so I haven\u2019t made coffee in years, but it\u2019s been boiling for some time now, so it should be done. When I got your nice note yesterday saying you\u2019d be stopping by, I figured I should provide you with the beverage you\u2019d most likely prefer.\u201d She disappeared into the kitchen again, and called out, \u201cPerhaps you\u00a0could<\/em>\u00a0help me with this tray. These hands of mine don\u2019t work like they used to.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He jumped to assist her, bringing the tray of strong-smelling coffee, a pot of tea and a few home-baked cookies to the coffee table. His heart sank as the dark brew slid into his cup with less fluidity than some axle grease he\u2019d used in his lifetime. He took a small sip\u2014burning his tongue\u2014as he tried to keep from grimacing, and uttered his thanks for Adelaide\u2019s thoughtfulness. With the pleasantries of hospitality completed, he began, \u201cPlease call me Adam, Ma\u2019am.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI will\u2026if you call me Addy.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a promise.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose you want to hear about Margot Tanner?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYes, but first I\u2019d like to hear about Missy. I met Jake, and got him set up with his grandparents, but there wasn\u2019t much information I could give them about the years their daughter was gone. I think they\u2019d like very much to know more, as would I.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be glad to help any way I can. Where should I start?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam took another sip of the sludge, smiled and said, \u201cLet\u2019s start at the beginning. Tell me whatever you can think of.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Addy removed a folded sheet of paper from her pocket and handed it to him. \u201cI think you should see this first. It was tacked to my door this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He held it in the sunlight slicing through Addy\u2019s immaculately clean windows and read, \u201cDon\u2019t be talkin about Margot Tanner if you know what\u2019s good fer ya.\u201d He sat back, puzzlement contorting his face. \u201cThis sounds threatening. Perhaps I should leave before we go any further.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The old woman grinned from ear to ear. \u201cYou\u2019ll do no such thing. Whoever wrote that has something to hide and I\u2019m tired of all the hiding that\u2019s been going on. I\u2019m going to tell you some things that will make your hair curl.\u201d She smiled, nodding toward her guest. \u201cOr at least make it curl more than it already does.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam smiled as he avowed, \u201cI can\u2019t go on with this if my inquiry puts you in danger.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo need to worry, son. I\u2019m an old woman and my time here on earth is nearing its end. I doubt anyone would have the nerve to hasten it along. It\u2019s simply a threat that lets me know that even though Margot is out of town, her lackeys remain.\u201d She stood to refill Adam\u2019s cup, not noticing his frown. \u201cHow about I just start talking and you ask questions as you need to.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s sound fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath, she launched into her story. \u201cMargot and Missy came to town with enough money in their purses to get a room, and worked odd jobs at first: Margot at the hotel and Missy at the boarding house where they lived. But Missy was only allowed to work there until her impending motherhood became obvious.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam nodded. \u201cAnd then Missy came here?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYes. She stopped one day, saying she was out for a walk when she noticed my seamstress sign and asked if I needed help.\u201d She raised her arthritic hands for emphasis. \u201cThese weren\u2019t so bad back then. But they were already making it hard to use a scissor and do fine needlework, so I let her show me what she could do. Truth was over the years, Missy showed herself to be a more gifted seamstress and pattern maker than I ever was, and we did very well together. She and Margot rented a house down the road a piece and Missy came here every day to sew. After a few years, we got Monica to show some of our hand-made dresses and finery in a small millinery store she\u2019d opened, and before long we had more work than we could handle.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoping to bring the conversation back to the topic he was interested in, Adam interjected. \u201cWhat did Missy tell you about her pregnancy?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Addy laughed. \u201cShe tried to say she\u2019d been married and her husband had died, but lordy, the girl was such a bad liar that I told her that the fix she was in can happen to the best of people, and that if she promised to tell me the truth in all things, I\u2019d give her a job and a safe place to bring her baby when it came.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou sound like a forward thinking woman, Addy. Missy was fortunate to meet you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She winked. \u201cI told you it can happen to the best of people, and that\u2019s all the more I\u2019m saying about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam smiled. \u201cWhat was Missy\u2019s relationship with Margot like?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt was fine, at least at first. I genuinely thought that she had a good friend in Margot who seemed to have left a lot behind to help her out.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s where it gets harder to describe. Margot went to work in the saloons saying that then she could take care of the baby during the day and she\u2019d earn lots more working there than as a shop keeper. Missy felt bad for her. We both knew what could happen in the saloons, but Margot took to it like a duck to water.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve heard that she blackmailed men using Jake after he was born. Did Missy know about that?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI think she suspected something, because she started bringing Jake with her to work instead of leaving him home with Margot. Yet Missy had a hard time believing it even after that one man made such a stink and the sheriff came to the house.\u201d
\n\u201cWhat did Margot have to say about it?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAs you\u2019d suspect\u2026that it was all a lie or a misunderstanding. She even said that she thought that sweet Belle had started the lies to get back at her.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s mouth hung open for a second until he could ask. \u201cAnd Missy believed that?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cTruth was I think she couldn\u2019t do anything else but believe it. Margot had some hold over her. She\u2019d convinced Missy that no one in the world cared about her after she got herself into trouble. Anytime Missy tried to speak her mind or question her, that witch would pull her trump card, making the child feel like a traitor for listening to the \u2018lies\u2019 people were telling about \u2018poor, dear Margot.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He shook his head in thought. \u201cThe Reeds, Missy\u2019s parents, seem like good people. They never gave up hope that Missy would contact them.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSad story about that.\u201d Addy lowered her eyes in a look of grief. \u201cI think it\u2019s what ultimately led to Missy\u2019s death. Missy had begun to talk more about her folks as Jake got older, but Margot still had her convinced that they wouldn\u2019t understand because they were so straight-laced. After I\u2019d gotten to know Missy, I told her that anyone who had raised her so well as her parents seemed to have done, would not have put her out\u2026ever.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWere you able to convince her of that?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYes I was.\u201d She raised her head, her eyes now clouded with anger rather than sadness. \u201cMissy wrote to her folks telling them where she was and why. She figured if they didn\u2019t respond, then she\u2019d know the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt must not have reached the Reeds. They said they\u2019d never heard from her.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Addy\u2019s anger flashed, \u201cOf course they didn\u2019t. I didn\u2019t know then, but suspect now that Margot got that letter and threw it away. After a few weeks, Missy got a reply fromsomeone<\/em>\u00a0supposedly living at the Reeds\u2019 ranch, saying the family had moved on, leaving no clue as to where they had gone.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam was beginning to understand the depth of Margot\u2019s depravity. \u201cAnother lie; probably penned by someone Margot knew\u2026or coerced into helping her?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cProbably.\u201d A knock at the door interrupted their conversation. \u201cOh,\u201d Addy rose as her spirits lifted. \u201cLunch is here.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt is?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYoung man, I haven\u2019t entertained a gentleman caller in so long that I made sure I\u2019d have something nice to give you for lunch. Don\u2019t think I haven\u2019t noticed your face as you politely sipped that horrible coffee. I don\u2019t cook much, but this little repast comes from the finest caf\u00e9 in town.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI ate at a restaurant last night and the food was passable. Where is this caf\u00e9?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNext to the saloon that Monica owns. She owns the caf\u00e9\u2026and the dress shop, and the hotel across the street from where you\u2019re staying, and the general store\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Addy opened the door and began chatting with the young woman carrying a basket of food. \u201cJust put it on the table, Sally.\u201d The two women exchanged pleasantries as Sally laid out the meal of soup, fresh bread and a double wedge of apple pie.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sally was one of the women who\u2019d spoken to Adam the day before so she acknowledged him with a smile and said, \u201cGood to see you again, Mr. Cartwright. Monica sends her regards and says she\u2019s looking forward to dinner tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

They sat to eat as Adam brought the conversation back to something the older woman had said just as their lunch arrived. \u201cDid you say that Monica owns several businesses in town? I spoke to her yesterday and she said she owned the saloon.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Addy sipped the broth from her spoon before replying. \u201cDear boy, the woman\u2019s name is Monica Crawford. Does that ring any bells?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It did. He remembered seeing the name prominently displayed on several buildings as he\u2019d ridden into Placerville. \u201cSo all those building bearing the name Crawford belong to her?\u201d<\/p>\n

She nodded while biting off a piece of warm bread. \u201cMonica is a wonderful woman. She does that massage thing with my arms and hands and makes them feel so much better. She and her husband came here and settled after he\u2019d decided to invest the money he made in mining. Marcus was older than Monica and died some years back, but he taught her a lot about running things, and she\u2019s blossomed as a businesswoman.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSeems that way\u2026\u201d Adam\u2019s comment carried much admiration.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMonica is a good woman, Adam. While Missy worked for me, she did my cooking and cleaning as my condition worsened. When she died I thought I was done for too and might have to move to the boarding house. But then Monica showed up with a group of her girls and they cleaned my house and washed the windows. She told me that she\u2019d send lunch every day with enough to see me for supper too, and each week a couple women come and help with the cleaning and laundry.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThat seems most kind.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMonica was distraught at Missy\u2019s death\u2014almost as much as I was. She\u2019d been planning to have her run the dress shop when I decided to stop sewing.\u201d Addy squinted at Adam as her mouth puckered in thought. \u201cI don\u2019t want you to think less of Monica because she runs a saloon. She and Marcus ran a good place from the beginning. They had fair gambling tables, didn\u2019t water their liquor and never allow their female employees\u2026how to say this\u2026\u201d She giggled as she finally said, \u201cTo entertain men in their rooms for money. The girls at the Nugget sing and dance and give the men a good time, but there\u2019s nothing more. Monica protects those girls like a mother bear.\u201d
\n\u201cInteresting. Yet, I saw more people in the Gold Nugget than anywhere else.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019d think that wouldn\u2019t be true, but it is. The men might swagger over to the other watering holes at some point, but they appreciate the way the Nugget is run.\u201d Addy leaned across the table as though she had some secret information. \u201cYou know that Margot worked there at first, but got fired for her big mouth. Most of what she was in trouble for was about you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam stopped his spoon\u2019s ascent. \u201cMe?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019d get loaded toward the end of the night and start talking about Adam Cartwright and get maudlin and loud about you. One minute you were coming to take her away, the next she was going to get you for being such a weasel. The men couldn\u2019t stand her when she got into that mood, and neither could Marcus and Monica.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Even though Monica had broached this subject a day earlier, it still floored him to hear it voiced again. \u201cI feel like I\u2019m repeating myself lately, but I had no idea she held those feelings.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWell of course you didn’t, child. Why would you? I spoke with Monica after you did yesterday and she told me that you barely knew Margot.\u201d She smiled wickedly, \u201cI tell you, she was really excited to meet the man behind all Margot\u2019s caterwauling and said she thought that if any of it had been true, that you\u2019d have been worth wailing about.\u201d Addy laughed at Adam\u2019s shocked expression and blush.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSo what else did Monica have to say about me?\u201d he asked with a wink.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWomen don\u2019t tell such things, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The two finished their lunch, with Adam admitting it was the best food he\u2019d eaten since he\u2019d left the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He got the discussion back on track as soon as they were seated on the sofa again. \u201cI\u2019m afraid I need to attend to some errands, Addy, so if you don\u2019t mind, I\u2019ll focus on a few specifics before I leave. You mentioned that things didn\u2019t remain good between Missy and Margot. Could you elaborate on that?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHmmm,\u201d Addy sighed. \u201cThere were so many odd things that went on, but I\u2019ll cover the high points. As Jake got a little older, Missy was able to help Monica now and again at the dress store when a client needed a fitting. Missy was noticed by some of the young men in town, who then came courting. She was wooed by three very nice men. The first asked her to marry him within a month of getting to know her, and Missy accepted.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI had no idea!\u201d Adam\u2019s eyes widened with surprise. \u201cDid she get married?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThe poor man had an unfortunate accident and died.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDied?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDead. It was hard for Missy, but with the mining and rough country around these parts, accidents happened all the time and she forced herself to get over it. It wasn\u2019t until second and third suitors had unfortunate accidents too that the whispers started.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThree men died while courting Missy? Those odds seem too far off to be random.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThe first was thrown from his horse, the second was bushwhacked, and the third rode off a cliff at night. All three were conceivable, but just too coincidental for my thinking. The general feeling following those \u2018coincidences\u2019 was that while Missy was a nice woman, she wasn\u2019t nice enough to die for.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you think happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think\u2026I know. Margot happened. That\u2019s why I got that note today. She must have gotten someone to take care of them. She was so jealous of Missy and couldn\u2019t stand the thought of being alone while Missy found a better life. They argued a lot, with Missy giving Margot every assurance that their friendship wouldn\u2019t end because of it. There were many ugly words exchanged until all three men were gone and no one else came calling.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhy didn\u2019t someone do something?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThere was no proof. They all seemed like accidents and there was no evidence to show a connection to Margot. And the thought that she would have gone to such extremes to keep Missy from marrying just seemed too farfetched. Yet that\u2019s not the worst. I think Margot did something even crueler.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

His interest was piqued again, wondering what more the woman could do. \u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Addy began massaging her hands as she pulled the story together in her mind. \u201cOne day Jake\u2019s pa came to town.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam shot up as if poked. \u201cWhat? Margot swore that Missy never saw Ned Seeley again!\u201d He began pacing.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After a brief laugh at his reaction, Addy asked, \u201cAnd the fact that she lied\u00a0surprises<\/em>\u00a0you? Ned left the ranch near Virginia City to head down to Arizona shortly after making Missy\u2019s acquaintance. We never found out the exact place he was, but it was near Hardyville, in the Colorado River valley. He worked a ranch that provided horses for the cavalry down there and he came up here with a string for a mining company. He saw Missy, recognized her and came a running. Seems those two had actually loved each other when they\u2019d been together that summer, and he\u2019d always wanted to marry her. He even went back to Virginia City again but she was gone, and no one knew how to find her.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDid Missy tell Jake about his father?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo. And as it turned out that was probably good.\u00a0 She didn\u2019t want him knowing in case things didn\u2019t work out.\u201d Adam\u2019s back was turned as Addy\u2019s face took on a devilish grin. \u201cMissy didn\u2019t want Jake to be disappointed and thought it was easier imagining a good father rather than living with the truth of one that didn\u2019t care about him. When Ned came back to town, he found out about Jake and promised he\u2019d come back for them as soon as he got his pay and belongings from Arizona. Missy believed him, but said she\u2019d fallen for his good looks and charm once before and might be disappointed again. She told me many times that all she\u2019d really gotten from Ned was a few clumsy minutes of heavy breathing and pawing, and she honestly felt nothing had even happened\u2026until she found out she was pregnant!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam stopped pacing as his eyes grew large. Looking back at Addy, he saw the glint in her eye and started to laugh.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI shocked you, didn\u2019t I? Sorry about that son, I can get away with saying what I want to because I\u2019m old and people just think I\u2019m already losing my sanity. The point is that Missy loved Ned, but wasn\u2019t so sure she could trust him. He\u2019d made promises before\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI assume he didn\u2019t come back?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her voice saddened. \u201cNo, he didn\u2019t, and that about killed Missy. But I think Margot got to Ned and scared him off. I always pushed Missy to write to Hardyville and see if she could find him. To my mind he seemed to have loved her enough to have come back, so I thought there was something amiss.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s mind began to race. If Jake\u2019s father was still out there, he would want to know what had happened. He sighed resignedly, knowing that this trek might be about to get even longer. He was enjoying his time with Addy, but he had to get moving. \u201cTell me about Missy\u2019s death.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Addy rose and walked to the window. \u201cShe\u2019s buried over there,\u201d she said, pointing to a small marker in a cemetery plot next door. \u201cMissy and Margot were having many disagreements and all-out battles toward the end. Margot\u2019s parents came through Placerville and found out that she was here. Margot pretty much kept Missy away from them and that made Missy suspect that much was being kept from her.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Addy returned to her chair, groaning softly as she sat again. \u201cShortly after that, we were shown a story in the Virginia City paper about the Tanners dying in a house fire. Missy couldn\u2019t understand Margot\u2019s lack of grief and often commented to me that Margot was sounding almost unhinged at times. Lies were more common than the truth and Missy could spot them a lot better by then.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She took a moment to compose herself. \u201cYou know scripture says that lies are the language of Satan,* and I\u2019m pretty sure that was true in Margot\u2019s case. She was pure evil.\u201d<\/p>\n

Addy drew a deep breath and moved into the final chapter of Missy\u2019s life. \u201cIt really started when an old neighbor of the Reeds came through here on their way to western California. They recognized Missy, and that\u2019s when she found out that her parents hadn\u2019t moved and were grief stricken at not knowing where she was.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam sat across from Addy, gently taking her hands. \u201cYou must have questioned whether this would have a happy ending.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou can say that again. Missy finally understood that Margot had lied to her about so many things. She even made a few accusations about Margot\u2019s involvement in some of the deadly things that had happened. It was total war that last day. Missy brought Jake over and told me about the arguments. She was going back to get their things from the house and move in with me. Once she was out of there, she planned to talk to the sheriff about her fears and have him contact her parents so that Margot couldn\u2019t possibly intercept the message. From what I can put together, she went back to their house and hitched up the small wagon they had, and got a few their necessities loaded. She was headed back here when the wagon came unpinned from the hitch on a downhill turn and went rolling over, killing her instantly.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s breath came out in a slow hissing sigh. \u201cDo you feel Margot had something to do with it?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThat biddy told the sheriff that Missy didn\u2019t know what she was doing and shouldn\u2019t have been driving the wagon. She said she figured Missy must have put it together wrong or fooled with it later thinking something wasn\u2019t right.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tears were streaming down Addy\u2019s face as she concluded, \u201cShe said Missy was flighty and irresponsible and probably had it coming for being so stupid\u2026\u201d Her voice faltered. \u201cThat ugly, ugly witch! I have no doubt that she pulled that pin while Missy was in the house and then ran off to wait for the results. Maybe\u2026I\u2019ll give her this much to say maybe\u2026Margot didn\u2019t realize that the wagon would roll. Maybe she just wanted to scare Missy into toeing the line again\u2014to show her who was boss\u2014and remind Missy of what she was capable of doing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd then in the end Margot became the pitied hero as she cried for the loss of her dear friend and then took Jake away to find Missy\u2019s family, right?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Addy regained her composure. \u201cThat\u2019s it exactly. Like she was some saint who wanted only what was best for that boy. And yet\u2026she\u2019d always been good to him despite her little blackmailing scheme. I honestly think she loved the child in her own odd way. A lot of folks around here thought that Missy and Margot were sisters. The sheriff said I had no more hold over Jake than Margot did and there was no legal means of stopping her from taking him…other than petitioning for custody or contacting the grandparents. Monica hired a lawyer and we were going to do just that, but Margot took off during the night with the boy. We were hoping we\u2019d get some news of where Margot had gone when our sheriff got your sheriff\u2019s wire. After that, you came riding into town.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt worked out, Addy. Jake\u2019s safe, his grandparents are happy, and I\u2019m sure he remembers you fondly. You were very good to both of them, and Missy was fortunate to have had you in her life.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He drew her near and kissed her teary cheek. \u201cI have to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Addy held his arm as she walked him to the door. \u201cPromise me something, Adam Cartwright. Get that woman and make her pay for what she did. She\u2019s the worst kind of evil. She lies and turns the truth inside out to make herself seem the victim while leaving<\/p>\n

mayhem in her wake. The strangest part is that she holds no guilt, remorse or responsibility. How can you even fight such a beast?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Eight<\/strong><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t Keep a Lady Waiting<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam left Adelaide\u2019s home certain that he\u2019d now met two outstanding women in Placerville and wished he could have known Missy. She seemed to have become a good mother despite some difficult circumstances. He had much to tell the Reeds about their daughter, and had left their mailing information with Addy, who\u2019d promised to have someone help her write a personal note to them.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It seemed that Margot had been getting more enmeshed in \u201cadapting\u201d her situations to fit her blurry vision of reality by the time Missy had died. He was beginning to wonder if in this fog, she had possibly \u201cbelieved\u201d the story she\u2019d woven for his father about the child being hers\u2026and his\u2026and feared what she might have in mind to do to his family for ending her illusions. His heart sank as he realized that the Reeds could be in danger too. It was impossible to say who she would see as the worst offender in keeping her from attaining her goals.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With three hours remaining before dinner, he headed back to the saloons where Margot had worked. Both Belle and Addy had voiced suspicions that Margot was able to arrange the murders that seemed to free her from her real or imagined complications. He was curious to know if there were any men that Margot had seemed to favor; the kind of men who might do whatever she asked of them. Someone had put the note on Adelaide Barker\u2019s door, so there was someone here who still had connections to Margot. It had to be someone who knew where she was and perhaps had contacted her about the questions he was asking.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam was mildly disappointed that he found little to add to the information he\u2019d gotten the previous day. He did speak again to several women who gave him the names of men who either hung around Margot or seemed to be her defenders, but there was little conviction that they were capable of brutality. He wasn\u2019t any closer to knowing who threatened Addy or assisted Margot, but decided that it would become clear if he just kept his eyes open\u2026<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

On the way back to the hotel, he made a stop at the telegraph office sending a note to Commander Harmon at Fort Apache, near Hardyville. Adam had met Harmon in Sacramento when they\u2019d done a deal with the cavalry for Ponderosa beef. He hoped that the commander might remember him kindly enough to do a little detective work to determine which ranch Ned Seeley worked on. If Seeley was still around, Adam could let him know what had happened to Missy and Jake. On the other hand, he hoped that if Ned had left the territory, someone at the ranch might know where he had gone.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He\u2019d put in a full day, but as he climbed the stairs to his room, he realized how much energy he still had. The thought of seeing Monica again kept him humming as he shaved and donned a freshly laundered shirt. There was a knock as he finished slipping on his boots.\u00a0She\u2019s early<\/em>\u00a0he thought as he made his way to the door and swung it open.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Monica glanced again at the grandfather clock in the hotel lobby. Its hands had moved only slightly since the last time she\u2019d looked, yet all those incremental observances now added up to 20 minutes since she\u2019d arrived to meet Adam for dinner. She knew he\u2019d been at Addy\u2019s earlier but she also knew that he\u2019d left there several hours ago. Her impatience became mild irritation at being kept waiting. As the clock continued to move without Adam\u2019s arrival, her annoyance shifted to unease, prompting her to walk to the front desk and ask of the young clerk, \u201cDo you know if Mr. Cartwright has returned?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He smiled broadly at her, recognizing Monica as a prominent citizen in Placerville. \u201cYes, Mrs. Crawford. He returned nearly an hour ago. Would you like me to go up and tell him that you\u2019ve arrived?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her heart began pounding as she turned toward the stairway. \u201cThank you for offering, but I\u2019ll just go up and knock on his door. He\u2019s in room four, I believe.\u201d She heard the clerk confirm the number as she headed up the steps.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The scream a few seconds later shocked the hotel patrons lingering in the lobby. Monica looked terrified as she appeared at the top of the stairs and shouted, \u201cCome quickly. I think he\u2019s dead!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Nine<\/strong><\/p>\n

A Father\u2019s Grief<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben Cartwright had started and ended every day since Adam\u2019s departure by scanning the horizon, hoping to find a dust trail indicating the arrival of a particular man on horseback. His working hours were spent with an ear listening for Sport\u2019s cadence, and his nights were mired in dreams reliving the ugly conversation. He and Adam had certainly gone through tiffs, arguments, hat-slamming episodes, and even some storm-offs in the past. They were both intelligent men who had their own way of doing things, and hard heads that they butted from time to time. Following some of these spats, the two had spent time apart\u2014but never this long\u2014and never without a word or note to indicate where the boy was or when he might return. In the past, Adam had either lost himself for a few hours at the Bucket of Blood or headed out to the wide open spaces of the ranch in hopes of reclaiming his composure as he worked out his positions through physical labor. This time was different and Ben knew it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It hadn\u2019t taken long for Ben to realize that Hoss had been right as he\u2019d tried to make his father consider what he\u2019d done to Adam. Hoss had told him that his older brother was the most responsible person he knew and that thought plagued Ben now. There were times when he forgot that Adam was still in his twenties. He seemed wiser and more dedicated to the truth of any matter than his years would allow. It hadn\u2019t taken Ben\u00a0long<\/em>\u00a0to realize this\u2026but it turned out that it had been a little too long, and the opportunity to make amends had vanished along with his son.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He now wondered if by questioning Adam\u2019s accountability in the Margot Tanner fiasco, he might have pushed him into seeking the reasons behind a situation he held no responsibility in creating. A cool gust of wind chilled him physically, just as the unsettling thought chilled his heart. He had no concrete reason to assume that Adam was in danger, yet Ben always knew when his children were in circumstances that might prove harmful. In this case, his fatherly intuition was in full alert.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The fear persisted, even though there was nothing he could do. He didn\u2019t know where to look for Adam and realized with anxious sadness that he simply had to wait. As he finished checking the fence line he\u2019d been riding most of the afternoon, he came to the well-worn road leading back to the house. Pulling Buck to a stop he scanned the horizon, and seeing nothing, prayed for the safety of his missing child. He pulled the reins to the right as he voiced a final prayer. \u201cLord, please show me how to help my son.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ten<\/strong><\/p>\n

When A Fist Hits Your Eye Like A Log On the Fly\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After the clerk ran for the doctor, Monica returned to Adam\u2019s side, and this time was able to calm down enough to feel a weak pulse and see his chest rise and fall with shallow breaths. She bent to gently kiss his bruised cheek as she breathed, \u201cWhat happened to you?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She had found him crumpled on his side on the floor of his room. \u00a0Receiving no response to her shouts, she had even pinched his arm, trying to elicit a grimace or reaction\u2026but there had been nothing. All she could do was wait, so she sat next to him, stroking his hair while repeating, \u201cDon\u2019t worry, help is on the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After what seemed like hours, Doctor Stevens entered the room, gave Adam a quick assessment and asked Monica to help him roll him onto his back.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tears came unbidden as she the doctor brought a lamp nearer and she got her first good look at the damage. There was an actual outline of huge fingers and knuckles in the bruising on Adam\u2019s forehead, nose and cheeks.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Doctor Stevens checked Adam\u2019s eyes, and opened his shirt for a better look at what other damage might be hiding beneath his clothing. He shook his head in disbelief as he observed the large number of deeply discoloring bruises that covered Adam\u2019s torso. He\u2019d seen this before. The bruises bore the imprint of the toe of someone\u2019s boot. Adam had been kicked repeatedly with great force. He told Monica, \u201cI don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever seen anyone so badly beaten. Luckily I feel no broken ribs, but that doesn\u2019t mean there isn\u2019t serious internal damage. Someone meant business.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Monica suspected who was behind it and was overcome with fear that whoever had done the deed might come back to finish it if they found out that Adam was still alive. She spoke her thoughts aloud. \u201cWe\u2019ve got to move him over to my place so we can keep him safe while he recovers.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

There was no mistaking the doctor\u2019s uneasy frown as Monica spoke of recovery, but he agreed to the move. Doctor Stevens left to find the desk clerk and sent him to his office for a stretcher and help to carry it. Returning to the room, Doctor Stevens touched Monica\u2019s arm and made her look at him. \u201cI don\u2019t know that your friend will survive. The bruising on his body is serious, but his head injuries are more troubling. I\u2019m afraid his frontal sinuses might have been fractured in the punch that left those marks on his face. But someone gave him a good kick to his head too, and the force of that may have compromised his optic nerves or caused bleeding in his brain. I\u2019ll do a thorough exam once we get him settled, but I\u2019m not hopeful. I don\u2019t know why he\u2019s alive now but I\u2019ll do what I can to keep him that way.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Monica had steeled herself as she listened, and calm descended over her spirit as he finished. She stated with surety \u201cAll that may be true, Doctor, but you don\u2019t know this man. I know he\u2019ll make it.\u201d Her voice trailed off with less conviction. \u201cHe has to make it. Margot can\u2019t take another good man from this earth.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Once settled at Monica\u2019s hotel, Doctor Stevens did a thorough assessment and proclaimed Adam to have the hardest head and toughest hide in the West. That was the good news. There seemed no indication of internal injuries, his nose wasn\u2019t broken and his facial bones were intact. But two unknown factors loomed likely as the patient remained unconscious.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The doctor shared his conclusions with Monica. \u201cI have many positive findings, Monica, but Mr. Cartwright was hit and kicked with deadly force that may have damaged his brain. If that\u2019s true, then\u2026\u201d he\u2019d faltered, not wanting to say the words\u2026 \u201cThen\u2026he won\u2019t wake up. And there\u2019s the other matter of his eyes. There is scleral and corneal damage and I\u2019m quite sure there is blood in the vitreous humor\u2014that\u2019s the fluid in his eye. Should he survive the other injuries, his vision may be permanently affected.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Monica had been at Adam\u2019s side for three days and he hadn\u2019t stirred\u2026not even when they\u2019d changed his position or did eye irrigations to prevent infection from setting into the wounded tissue. He hadn\u2019t uttered a sound when she\u2019d massaged his legs and arms to keep them from stiffening while his muscles lay idle. This brought moments when the doctor\u2019s words of hopelessness grew tight around her heart and made her breathless with worry.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Monica brought Addy to the hotel after the attack on Adam, unwilling to leave the older woman unprotected if Margot\u2019s henchmen were trying to do away with those asking questions or giving opinions.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Since her arrival, Addy had joined in the efforts to keep Adam comfortable, and more importantly, had kept vigil with the younger woman. She entered Adams room coming to stand behind her friend. Noting Monica\u2019s drawn expression, she offered, \u201cHe\u2019ll make it, child. Don\u2019t fret.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI believe that too, Addy, but what if he can\u2019t see?\u201d Her voice caught as she took the older woman\u2019s hand. \u201cI think we were hoping that he would do what we couldn\u2019t, and now\u2026he may never be the same. Did we have the right to expect his help…to prod him in the direction we wanted him to go without knowing how much he might lose if things went wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSeems to me he came offering his help, Monica. You didn\u2019t ask him to do anything. It\u2019s just the man he is. He\u2019ll place no blame on anyone excepting the ones who did this to him.\u201d She pursed her lips in thought. \u201cDid you ever send a wire to his father as we talked about?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The younger woman blushed as she answered. \u201cI didn\u2019t.\u201d Hearing Addy\u2019s sigh, she explained, \u201cI know we talked about it, but honestly, I don\u2019t think Adam would want his father to come running right now. He didn\u2019t tell me what happened between them, but I know there\u2019s a problem there. I figure Adam wouldn\u2019t care for some tearful bedside reunion\u2026where he\u2019s the one in the bed. I\u2019ll send something immediately if he gets worse.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Addy was about to offer an opinion when both women were startled by a groan as Adam reached up in an attempt to remove the gauze covering his eyes. Monica jumped to grab his hands before he could accomplish his goal, telling Addy to send someone for Doctor Stevens.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAdam,\u201d she soothed, \u201cYou\u2019re safe but you\u2019ve been badly injured and have bandages over your eyes. Do you understand?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He nodded slightly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

Adam answered with another groan.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cRest now, Doc Stevens will be here shortly.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNeed sheriff.\u201d Adam\u2019s first words were whispered through a grimace.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThat can wait. You just woke up and we need to tend to other things first.\u201d<\/p>\n

His head moved from side to side. \u201cCan\u2019t wait.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, Adam. I\u2019ll send for Andy, but you rest until he arrives.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Eleven<\/strong><\/p>\n

Patriarchal Decisions<\/strong><\/p>\n

A heavy force had hovered over the Ponderosa household since Adam had ridden off. It clung to Ben and his two sons like a humid weather system, saturating them with unease. They all felt it, yet bypassed any further discussion about the situation. Hoss had said what he\u2019d needed to say on the day it had happened, and Joe had felt he was too young to have a say. Discussions at the dinner table remained focused on the work of the ranch and evenings were spent with each man seeking the refuge of his own bedroom rather than lingering downstairs.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After two weeks, Ben appeared at breakfast with a determined set to his face. Ben cleared his throat to get Hoss and Little Joe\u2019s attention. \u201cI\u2019ve made a decision. It\u2019s time we get back to normal around here. I regret the part I played in Adam\u2019s departure and would tell him how sorry I am, but I can\u2019t since he hasn\u2019t seen fit to let me know where he is. So we\u2019re going to set this aside until something changes. There\u2019ll be no more sad faces or anxious looks exchanged. We will simply go on as we always have. Understood?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Neither son spoke, but they both nodded and released sighs that sounded like a last, dying breath. Ben chuckled as he realized he\u2019d done the same thing. It was as though they had all been holding their breath and it felt good to finally release that stale, sour air and breathe deep and full again. \u201cBoys, I understand that this is a bad situation. I know I was wrong and can only trust that God will bring your brother home. But the grief and second guessing of how I handled things ends now.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A look passed between the two brothers. Ben caught it, knowing its significance. He acknowledged their feelings. \u201cYes, I know that\u2019s easier to say than to do. But to get us started in the right direction, I think we should get away from home for a few days.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Little Joe was too old to bounce up and down on his chair, but right then he sure wished he still could. His excitement billowed as he asked, \u201cWhat\u2019d you have in mind, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThere are tools and supplies to pick up in Carson City and a week-long cattle auction there next week. We don\u2019t need any stock, but it\u2019s always interesting to see what\u2019s available. We can finish up our work around here, then head out and check our herds that are pastured in the direction of Carson and spend a few days in the city. I have a couple business obligations, but other than helping me load the tools and a few other tasks, you two can indulge in your own pastimes.\u201d\u00a0 Ben grinned as he saw the smiles replacing the dour looks that had become the norm. \u201cOf course this is purely voluntary and if you\u2019d rather remain here doing chores, you\u2019re welcome to do so.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss nearly knocked his chair over as he rose. \u201cI can have my things together in ten minutes. That soon enough, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben laughed for the first times in weeks. \u201cSettle down and have your breakfast, Hoss. We\u2019ll leave first thing Sunday.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Eleven<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Advantages of a Hard Head and Tough Hide<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d Monica shook his shoulder gently. \u201cThe doctor is here now. Can you wake up?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He caught his breath as his battered body objected to his attempt at moving. \u201cSure,\u201d was all he managed to say.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I\u2019m Doctor Stevens.\u201d The older doctor sat on the edge of the bed. \u201cYou don\u2019t know me, but I\u2019ve gotten to know you and your hard head over the last few days. I must say that I wondered if I\u2019d ever be having a conversation with you. The beating you took was most severe.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The patient attempted a smile. \u201cI know\u2026\u201d he said breathily, \u201cI was there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, a patient with a sense of humor. Wonderful!\u201d The doctor turned his attention toward the two women in the room. \u201cI need to have him sit up. I think Monica and I should assist him, and Addy, you be ready with pillows to prop him.\u201d He positioned one pillow against Adam\u2019s chest while Monica knelt on the bed for better leverage. \u201cWe move him on three. One, two\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A resounding yelp accompanied the position change and got the patient breathing hard as he settled back against the pillows. \u201cMy eyes, doc\u2026what\u2019s wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re about to find out, son. Whoever, or whatever hit you, packed a wallop and your eyes took a beating.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWho,\u201d Adam breathed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWho, what?\u201d Doctor Stevens stopped unwrapping the serpentine bandage.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou said\u2026\u2019who or what\u2019 hit me\u2026It was who.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The doctor laughed. \u201cI really wasn\u2019t sure. The size of the bruising seemed to indicate that a fence post had connected with your forehead.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s\u2026about right.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sheriff Andrews entered the room and broke into the conversation. \u201cWell, Mr. Cartwright, I wasn\u2019t sure I\u2019d ever see you sitting up or speaking again. But I\u2019m glad since I wasn\u2019t in the mood to do all the reports involving a death by fence post.\u201d He laughed as he neared the bed and patted Adam\u2019s sheet-clad knee. How\u2019re you doing?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t know yet, but glad\u2026you were saved\u2026paperwork.\u201d Adam struggled to speak against the pain of his bruises.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The sheriff addressed the doctor. \u201cYou in a hurry or can I take a quick statement from the victim so\u2019s I can start looking for the culprits?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cCulprit.\u201d Adam corrected in a whisper.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re telling me that this much damage was done by one person?\u201d the sheriff asked dumbfounded. \u201cWe all thought for sure that there\u2019d been a couple.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHeard knock at door\u2026opened it. Saw fist coming at me out of the dark. Dropped me like a rotten tree.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou have so many bruises on your body, How\u2019d he do that?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cKept kicking me\u2026glad he didn\u2019t use gun instead.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The sheriff looked thoughtful as he gave his opinion. \u201cThis seemed personal, Mr. Cartwright. No one does this to another man without it meaning something.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cKept saying\u2026\u2019You hurt Margot,\u2026got this comin\u2019 Kicked more\u2026then whined, \u2019Why\u2019d ya have to come here askin\u2019 questions.\u2026She told me to take care of you so you can\u2019t ask no more.\u2019 Then just kicked til he thought I was dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam became animated as he gave his description, forcing the doctor to give the Sheriff Andrews a look of caution.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSo we have to assume whoever did this was in contact with Margot, since she knew you were here asking questions. I\u2019ll check the telegraph office. But it might be easier if we had more of an idea who she corresponded with. Can you describe the man?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNever saw face. My brother\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The doctor\u2019s voice broke in, \u201cYou\u2019re saying you think your brother did this?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam shook his head. \u201cNo! My brother Hoss\u2026big guy\u2026six four\u2026broad\u2026this guy even bigger. Sounded childlike when he talked.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Every voice in the room spoke the same name. \u201cTiny.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWho?\u201d croaked the victim, \u201cNot tiny.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Monica explained. \u201cTiny is a young man who cleans some of the saloons\u2014mops up a couple times a day and cleans the outhouses. He keeps a little shack behind the Placerville Pump House. Of course he\u2019s called Tiny in one of those twisted attempts at irony because he\u2019s so big. He towers over everyone in town and would be the perfect patsy for Margot. I can\u2019t believe we didn\u2019t consider him before. All it would have taken was for her to have paid him a little attention, maybe she even gave him a kiss from time-to-time and told him how big and strong he was. You know, make him feel good about himself when most people teased him cruelly or ignored him completely.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s right,\u201d the sheriff continued, \u201cNobody paid any attention to Tiny, so he could have done whatever she wanted him to do with no one suspecting. I\u2019ll check for wires to him and see where they originated. Margot may have suspected that Mr. Cartwright would head to Placerville after what she pulled in Virginia City.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Andrews was nearly out the door when he remembered the telegram in his pocket. \u201cBy the way, Mr. Cartwright, I received a wire from the commander of Fort Apache today. The clerk at the telegraph office brought it to me since he\u2019d heard you were in pretty bad shape.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cRead it please\u2026it should interest everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The sheriff opened the paper and began to read.<\/p>\n

GREETINGS ADAM .\u00a0 REGARDING NED SEELEY.\u00a0 HANDLED DISPOSITION PERSONALLY.\u00a0\u00a0 SEELEY FOUND DEAD THREE YEARS BACK. \u00a0\u00a0DISPATCHING COURIER WITH PERSONAL EFFECTS AND LETTER REGARDING CIRCUMSTANCE OF DEATH TO PLACERVILLE SHERIFF.\u00a0\u00a0 ARRIVAL MONDAY NEXT.\u00a0 REGARDS COMMANDER HARMON FORT APACHE<\/em><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/em>There was no sound as the impact of the telegram hit those assembled. Addy finally broke the silence. \u201cDoesn\u2019t it seem like anyone connected to Margot Tanner ends up dead?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to arrest Tiny.\u201d The sheriff placed the telegram in Adam\u2019s hand. \u201cThis is going to end now if I have to beat\u00a0him<\/em>\u00a0with a fence post until he tells me the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam called, \u201cWait.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Andrews touched his shoulder. \u201cI didn\u2019t go anywhere yet, son. What do you need?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t do anything about him right now.\u201d The pain was easing as he settled more comfortably into the pillows behind him, making it easier to speak. \u201cCheck telegrams first. See if he sent one back to her. Then just watch him\u2026that\u2019s if he\u2019s still around. I predict he\u2019s gone off to join Margot.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a possibility I hadn\u2019t considered,\u201d Andrews opined, \u201cI\u2019ll be back after checking with Smitty at the telegraph office.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI have a good idea where Margot is and don\u2019t like it one bit.\u201d Adam said as he heard footsteps leave the room. After a moment he addressed the doctor. \u201cCan we get this bandage off my eyes and see what\u2019s going on? I have to leave here as soon as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhatever we find under those bandages won\u2019t make a difference, Mr. Cartwright. You\u2019re not going anywhere soon.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam muttered softly, \u201cThat\u2019s what you think.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Twelve<\/strong><\/p>\n

Girls Still Make Passes at Adam in Glasses<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam felt cold steel against his scalp while hearing the distinctive rasp of a scissor cutting through gauze. When the bandages began to loosen, he asked, \u201cMay I ask what you\u2019re expecting when these are off? You never did say.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The doctor showed the deftness honed by years of avoiding direct questions. \u201cPlease keep your eyes closed as I remove the last of these pads.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam persisted, \u201cIf you think I won\u2019t be able to see, please say so.\u201d He felt the doctor\u2019s shirtsleeve brush against his face and grabbed for his wrist. \u201cPlease. I need to know before…\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou are a persistent young man, aren\u2019t you? Monica said as much.\u201d He laid his hand on Adam\u2019s shoulder. \u201cThe surfaces of your eyes were damaged by the blow, Mr. Cartwright. You must have had your eyes wide open when Tiny\u2019s fist connected. But that\u2019s already healing. It was the force of his punch that likely did damage inside your eye and we won\u2019t know how much until you open them.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a chance I was blinded?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cA chance, yes, but let\u2019s do a little detective work. What time of day do you think it is?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMorning.\u201d Adam replied without hesitation.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat makes you think that?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam thought a moment before saying, \u201cI could smell bacon on Sheriff Andrew\u2019s clothing when he came close to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Monica and Addy joined the doctor in laughter before he replied, \u201cBut you don\u2019t know Andy like we do. He\u2019d eat bacon for every meal if he could, so it\u2019s possible he ate dinner before coming over here.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam considered that possibility before shrugging his shoulders. \u201cI\u2019m sure it\u2019s daytime.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right. It\u2019s half-past nine and I\u2019m guessing there\u2019s a good reason you got the right time of day when you added in the smell of bacon. Remember that I\u2019d begun to remove the outer layers of this bandage when Andy arrived.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I think that you sensed that it was daylight. You aren\u2019t picking up on that now because you\u2019re tense and questioning your ability to see.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t understand.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI think as those outer layers came off, things brightened. It wouldn\u2019t be unusual for you to sense the difference, so you\u2019re not processing that information any differently than as a normal occurrence.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He nodded. \u201cThat\u2019s true. It is brighter than it was before. Does that mean I can see?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSo far it only means that your eyes can still differentiate between light and dark. But it\u2019s a good thing\u2026a very good thing.\u201d The doctor pulled the last of the gauze from Adam\u2019s eyes and instructed, \u201cOpen up, Mr. Cartwright, and tell us what you see.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Monica moved to the side of the bed and held Adam\u2019s hand as he began to blink. \u201cHow is it, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He smiled. \u201cReally blurry, but I can make things out.\u201d He looked around, \u201cWhere am I? This isn\u2019t my hotel room, is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe moved you to my hotel so we could protect you.\u201d She turned his head toward her and teased, \u201cThis would never have happened if you\u2019d stayed here in the first place. We guard our doors so nobody can sneak up the back way and beat the pulp out of our guests.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSo noted.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, you two; back to what\u2019s important,\u201d the doctor chided. \u201cLet\u2019s determine how well can you see.\u201d Doctor Stevens walked to objects in the distance asking Adam to identify what he was standing next to or holding. While Adam was able to guess at some of them, most images were distorted, causing the doctor to purse his lips and suggest, \u201cHmm. Describe what you\u2019re\u00a0seeing<\/em>, son. Don\u2019t try to guess what it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

At first Adam wasn\u2019t sure what he meant, but as he focused, he understood. \u201cI see shapes and outlines of things across the room, but can\u2019t make out what they actually are. I see things that are closer more clearly, but even those things seem to have an aura around them, almost like the vapor you see when you look at something radiating the heat of the sun.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cExcellent! That\u2019s better than I\u2019d hoped for.\u201d Doctor Stevens examined Adam\u2019s eyes more closely with a thick magnifying lens. The cornea is doing well, and I\u2019ll be able to give you more definition with some spectacles while the blood inside your eyes continues to reabsorb and the fluid clears. I can\u2019t believe I\u2019m saying this, but I\u2019d say that your vision will be back to normal in a few days.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hearing his patient\u2019s exasperated sigh he added, \u201cRemember that a minute ago, you were worried that you\u2019d be blind, so don\u2019t despair of a few days. I\u2019m going to my office and when I return I\u2019ll bring along some lenses and see what we can do to improve things.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Once the doctor left the room, Monica reached for Adam\u2019s shoulders, and kissed him gently on the lips. Realizing what she\u2019d done, she pulled back, saying, \u201cI\u2019m sorry I did that.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not.\u201d Adam chuckled.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

From the opposite side of the bed, Addy contributed, \u201cIt\u2019s about time someone kissed someone around here. I figured if Monica didn\u2019t step up pretty soon, I was going to have to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou are a bad old woman, Addy,\u201d Monica laughed. \u201cI\u2019m just so relieved that Adam\u2019s on the mend and can see.\u201d She busied herself with straightening the sheets as a blush continued to tint her cheeks.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A rumble from his stomach prompted Adam to say, \u201cI hear there\u2019s a pretty good restaurant in this hotel. What do you suppose it would take to get something to eat?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Addy was asking what he\u2019d prefer when Sheriff Andrews blew into the room waving two pieces of paper. \u201cYou were right!\u201d he exclaimed as he hurried to the bedside, moving Monica out of the way while handing Adam the notes. \u201cRead these!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cUm, perhaps you\u2019ll do the honors,\u201d Adam suggested, \u201cI can see, Sheriff, but not well enough to read.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOh sure,\u201d Andrews sat on the bed. \u201cI\u2019ll just say what it\u2019s about \u2018stead of reading them. The one from Margot says that her plans went badly in VC\u2014I\u2019m assuming that\u2019d be Virginia City\u2014and she expects that someone will come round asking questions in Placerville. She actually wrote for Tiny to clean up the mess and meet her afterwards.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSounds like she told Tiny to kill Adam, doesn\u2019t it?\u201d Monica said with a deep sigh.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMight\u2026might not. It wouldn\u2019t hold up in court. She could say she just needed Tiny to clean up her house or something.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam asked as he yawned, \u201cAnd what was in the one from Tiny?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHe said he\u2019d taken care of it and was coming.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cComing where? I think I know, but I need to hear you say it.\u201d A line of sweat beads was forming on Adam\u2019s forehead as the pain of sitting up began to bother him more.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThe telegram originated in Carson City.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam sat forward, saying, \u201cI knew it!\u201d just before he let out a cry of pain as he settled back, trying to get comfortable enough to finish.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Monica grabbed a wet cloth and dabbed at Adam\u2019s face as she asked, \u201cWhat made you so sure, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt all sort of came to me after talking with the people here. Margot Tanner does not leave loose ends. She left here with Jake, saying she was going to take him to his grandparents, but she didn\u2019t. She hung around Virginia City waiting to approach my father. But I came back and Jake told the truth, and that messed things up for her. Sheriff Coffee sent her packing, but I had the feeling she wouldn\u2019t go far.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Addy asked, \u201cBut why Carson City?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It\u2019s where Jake\u2019s family is, Addy. She thinks she\u2019s done with me now, but she must have something in mind by heading there.\u201d Addressing the sheriff again, he asked, \u201cIs Tiny still in town?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t find him.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDid anyone see him take the stage?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo, but a horse was stolen from the livery and I suspect it was Tiny took it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A laugh broke from Addy\u2019s side of the bed. \u201cI hope it was a strong horse if Tiny\u2019s riding it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The sheriff grimaced as he admitted, \u201cIt was Mr. Cartwright\u2019s horse, I\u2019m afraid. Tiny is a lot of man for that horse, but I could tell when I first saw it that it was a good animal, so I\u2019m sure he could get Tiny where he needed to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Addy, Monica and the sheriff looked expectantly at Adam, waiting for his reaction and were surprised when he began to chuckle. \u201cWell that solves the problem of getting Sport to Carson. I think I\u2019m going to have to take the stage since I can\u2019t see well enough to ride. I feel sorry for Tiny in a way. Sport\u2019s a one-man horse, and while he might let Tiny on his back, I\u2019m sure he didn\u2019t make it an easy ride. In fact, if Tiny isn\u2019t a skilled rider, Sport probably dumped him off a few miles out of town and headed for the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s exhaustion was fully apparent as his complexion took on a pasty pallor. He quickly directed the sheriff to send two telegrams. The first was to warn the sheriff in Carson City about Margot and Tiny as well as to send word to the Reeds to keep their eyes open for them as well. The second wire was to his family, asking them to meet him in Carson City by Wednesday. With the sheriff on his way, he asked to be helped to lie back down.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As the two women worked to make him comfortable, Addy muttered. \u201cNice man, that Andy Andrews, but he\u2019s got no spark. He does well enough with the cowhands, miners and everyday criminal sorts, but ask him to solve a mystery and the man couldn\u2019t find his way out of pillowcase with both ends unsewn.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Monica laughed, but then thought of what Adam had told the sheriff. \u201cThere\u2019s no way you\u2019ll be up to travelling soon, Adam. It\u2019s already Saturday and you can\u2019t even sit up alone.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI can make it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI will,\u201d he said more forcefully.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She replied tone for tone, \u201cYou won\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Addy finally broke in. \u201cStop this arguing right now! It doesn\u2019t matter whether you can or can\u2019t, will or won\u2019t. All that matters is that I\u2019m hiding your pants, and until I think you\u2019re up to it, you aren\u2019t going anywhere! Cute as your bare knees are, if you head to the stage office in the little nightshirt you\u2019re wearing right now, poor Sheriff Andy is going to have to do what he hates: arrest someone he\u2019s grown to like.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam narrowed his eyes, \u201cYou wouldn\u2019t dare\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She moved closer to the bed, suspending his pants by the waistband. \u201cOh, yeah? Get out of that bed and stop me!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He started to laugh until he had to cough and ended with his familiar groan. \u201cCome here you two.\u201d He stretched his arms out to either side of the bed and they came to hold his hands. \u201cI do wish I could see more clearly. For all I know, Addy was holding a cat instead of my pants, but truthfully, I am beginning to feel that I\u2019m either the most blessed, or cursed man in the world to have you two around.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d go with blessed, if I were you,\u201d cautioned Monica, \u201cAddy still has your pants.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI am\u00a0richly blessed<\/em>\u00a0and I need your help, ladies. I have to get going because I\u2019m worried about Jake. Margot is certainly not happy about him telling us the truth. His confession made her look like a fool and put her in trouble with the law again. It seems that she\u2019s removed everyone that she thought was working against her. So I wonder what she might consider doing to an 11 year-old kid who thwarted her.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Addy drew her breath in sharply, \u201cI never looked at it that way. I don\u2019t think she\u2019d hurt him, but you\u2019re right, Adam, we don\u2019t know what she might do.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Monica added, \u201cAnd she\u2019s in Carson City. That can\u2019t bode well.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNow that she has Tiny with her, it could just be a matter of time.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Both women nodded. Adam\u2019s apprehension was palpable prompting Monica to offer, \u201cWhat do you want us to do?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

In a feat of granite-headed determination, and assistance from his two \u201cblessings,\u201d Adam managed to make it out of bed and walk across the room later that afternoon.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Doctor Stevens returned with two pairs of spectacles\u2014one clear and one tinted gray. He\u2019d put them together from Adam\u2019s estimate of how his vision was being affected, and while they didn\u2019t correct the problems, they did allow for objects to be a little clearer. The doctor also gave him a cane to use for support, and as an aid to feel for the boundaries of objects that weren\u2019t obvious. He quipped that at least now Adam might get through a doorway instead of walking into walls, and could check for stairs when the horizon seemed to vanish, saying, \u201cMaybe these things can keep you alive long enough so that you\u2019ll heal.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The vision situation made Adam uneasy although he didn\u2019t speak his concern. He could see faces but couldn\u2019t figure out who they belonged to without adding in what he already knew about the person\u2019s build and movement. It made him wonder how he would he ever recognize Margot in a sea of strangers. His hope was that his family had received the telegram and would be in Carson City when he arrived. In the end he came to the conclusion that whether they were there or not, he still had to go.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As the early Sunday sunshine brightened his room, Adam willed himself to sit on the edge of the bed and to finally stand up unassisted. There was pain, but not so much as the day before, and it was manageable as long as no one took to pounding on him again. Even his sight seemed a little clearer, and he took a moment to enjoy his returning abilities by endowing his two nursemaids with a wide smile.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Monica\u2019s encouraging, \u201cYou\u2019re doing wonderfully, Adam,\u201d was overshadowed by Addy\u2019s sly comment.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou are such a serious looking man, Adam Cartwright\u2014not that that\u2019s a bad thing. But I think I can actually see your brain working most times. There\u2019s never a moment when you aren\u2019t thinking, pondering or formulating something, unless you\u2019re asleep, and sometimes I even wonder if you\u2019re not still thinking then. But young man, when you grace us with one of them smiles\u2026it\u2019s like the sun breaking through on a storm filled day! If I was 30 instead of a tad over 60, I\u2019d push Monica aside and take you home with me just to see that sunshine every morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The three of them were laughing at Addy\u2019s avowal when Sheriff Andrews walked into the room. \u201cDid I just hear you say you were a tad over 60, Adelaide? Isn\u2019t it more like 20 years over sixty?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Monica came to old woman\u2019s defense, \u201cWhy Andy, it\u2019s not polite to tell a woman\u2019s age.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The sheriff neared Adam as he corrected his error, \u201cOh shucks, ladies, I was just commenting on the pinion pine that grows in Addy\u2019s yard. I think that must have been planted about the same year she was born and if we\u2019d cut it down, we\u2019d probably find about 80 years of growth there.\u201d He placed a hand on Adam\u2019s shoulder as he laughed at his own cleverness.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam couldn\u2019t see their faces, but was sure that the silence from the females in the room indicated their displeasure at the man\u2019s comments. He quickly changed the subject. \u201cDo you have news for me?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I do, and not all of it good. I got a telegram back from the sheriff in Carson City who asked around and did hear about a big man now working in one of the saloons, but the name Margot Tanner hasn\u2019t come to his attention. I know you\u2019ll be heading over that way as soon as you\u2019re able, and the sheriff wants you to check in with him when you arrive. He\u2019s keeping an eye on Tiny and will arrest him for your assault if you want.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNot right away. He\u2019ll lead us to Margot if we can\u2019t find her on our own. I\u2019ll need a day or two to make some inquiries. She must be using a false name and we\u2019ll need to figure out what that is, and where\u2019s she\u2019s keeping herself. Why take down Tiny if we can get both of them. He\u2019s just her tool.\u201d After a moment, Adam asked, \u201cIs there more?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry to tell you this, but there was some problem with the wire to Virginia City so the message to your kin didn\u2019t go out until this morning. Sheriff Coffee was at the office when it came in and told the man there that your family had left town for a few days away.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDid he say where they went?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThe wire said a cattle auction, but not where.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam disguised his disappointment with a simple, \u201cWell, thank you.\u201d There were cattle auctions several places this time of year. His family was most likely in Sacramento, but they might have gone even farther for a good bloodline.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Monica suggested, \u201cWe could send out telegrams to the hotels where they might stay and see if we can find them.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He shook his head. \u201cIt\u2019s too late. I\u2019m leaving Tuesday and will just have to hope for some good luck and quick answers.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Monica was walking past the open door of Adam\u2019s room when she heard him curse softly. Sticking her head around the jamb she saw him holding a finger over a bleeding cut on his neck. She entered and grabbed the towel from the wash stand to help stop the flow. \u201cYou know, Adam, maybe you should just let your beard grow instead of bleeding to death when you\u2019re so close to being better.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cVery funny,\u201d he growled, his voice shaded with discouragement. \u201cI thought I\u2019d give shaving a try, but even with the glasses on, I still can\u2019t pick up clear borders on anything. You\u2019d think this would be easy since I do it every day, but I didn\u2019t realize how much a person still relies on what they see to make their hands function properly.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI never considered that. I suppose you\u2019d train yourself in time if you had to, but soon you\u2019ll be able to whatever you want to soon, so let\u2019s either get you to the barber shop or just let the whiskers grow.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll go with the second option. I won\u2019t be able to shave myself for a bit yet, so why worry about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She moved the towel away to see if the bleeding had stopped, and leaned in to kiss the cut. \u201cMy mother always kissed my nicks and bruises, and even though I know there\u2019s no real medical value in it, it always helped.\u201d She moved back a step to give Adam a once-over. \u201cYou know\u2026you\u2019re looking pretty good. Your beard\u2019s already filling in, and those glasses make you look even more intelligent\u2026and disguise those raccoon rings around your eyes a little.\u201d Watching the wry smile return to Adam\u2019s face, she stepped closer, \u201cAddy\u2019s right you know. That smile of yours is something worth waiting for.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He took her face in his hands, and kissed her. As the kiss deepened he drew her nearer, finally whispering, \u201cThank you, Monica. You\u2019ve been so kind.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The embrace was abruptly broken with her declaration, \u201cThat better not have been a kiss of gratitude, buddy. If you want to thank me, you can shake my hand. If you want to kiss me, it better come from something other than\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She was silenced as he pulled her back into a deep kiss. He winked at her as he asked, \u201cDid that define my feelings more clearly? I was\u00a0interested<\/em>\u00a0in you from the day you whispered in my ear;\u00a0fascinated<\/em>\u00a0with you that night you gave me the massage, and after Addy told me more about you, I couldn\u2019t wait to meet you for dinner. But we both know how that turned out and I haven\u2019t been in the position to entertain such thoughts for a few days. Now that I\u2019m back on my own two feet, I would like very much to know you a whole lot better.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Addy walked into the room as the couple kissed, and a sly smile spread across her face as she left, quietly closing the door behind her. She had known Monica for at least a decade and had always hoped the young woman would find someone to love again after Marcus died. When she\u2019d seen Adam walking down the road toward her house, she thought that he might just be the one who could make the young woman happy again.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She stopped in the hall, dancing a little jig to express her delight in this development. Adam and Monica made her feel young, and she hoped that once Margot and Tiny were in jail, Adam would return to Placerville to see how the story of the handsome rancher and the beautiful businesswoman would turn out. She admitted that sounded a bit dramatic, and wondered if she had picked up some of Margot\u2019s fairy tale sickness. But at the moment she was feeling heady and didn\u2019t try to analyze it further.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Thirteen<\/strong><\/p>\n

A Stage Bound for Truth<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Monica tried to talk Adam into waiting longer before heading to Carson City. She suggested that his family might return home and be able to join him, or that his vision would improve enough that he wouldn\u2019t be fighting blindly. But his resolve to leave didn\u2019t waver. This only served to intensify her resolve to make sure he wouldn\u2019t face Margot alone.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The stage to Placerville pulled in on Tuesday with Adam ready and waiting. The bruises on his upper body were healing, while still making movement uncomfortable. He was getting around well considering that a few days ago he was thought to be dead. His blurred vision was still the biggest issue, but the glasses helped. Overall, he was encouraged that he could accomplish what he needed to do.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He made sure that Ned Seeley\u2019s saddle and a box of personal items were loaded on top of the coach. These had arrived from Fort Apache and he was taking them along for Jake. The note from Commander Harmon that accompanied the articles related that those who had known Ned said he was a decent sort and that when he\u2019d left, he\u2019d been excited about getting married and happy about having a son. Unfortunately no one had known who to notify of his death.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam jumped when the stage clerk came behind him and said, \u201cYou might as well get on board, Mr. Cartwright. The driver wants to leave shortly.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He climbed up with a few silent curses accompanying the stretching necessary to accomplish the task. Once inside, he positioned the pillows he\u2019d brought along, and eased back onto them. There would be breaks at way stations when he would be able to get out and shake out the kinks, but Adam knew it wasn\u2019t going to be an easy trip. It was afternoon now, and he wouldn\u2019t reach Carson City until the next morning. There was nothing he could do about it except to sit back and prepare for the ride,<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As he waited, he thought about the last few days. He\u2019d been indoors since being on the wrong end of Tiny\u2019s fist and it was different dealing with his vision problems in the faster pace of life outside. He listened to what was going on around him, and began to appreciate Doctor Stevens\u2019 exercise the day he\u2019d removed the bandages. Adam could put images to the sounds and movements without truly \u201cseeing\u201d what was going on.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The coach made a deep dip as someone climbed onto the rear left side. Adam knew that luggage was being added to the boot because he felt the thump of two bags as they were loaded. The sound of leather slapping indicated that the buckles were being fastened again and the coach rebounded as the person jumped off.\u00a0 He felt the stage move again, this time at the front as the driver mounted to the box. This seemed to signal that they were ready to roll, and Adam wondered if the two passengers he\u2019d been told were traveling with him weren\u2019t going to make.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The stage door opened then as the driver yelled down, \u201cHurry up ladies. I want to get going.\u201d A feather-laden hat preceded the first of the late arrivals into the coach. The woman kept her head down as she took her seat and then extended her hand to the other woman entering behind her. Both women sat in silence with their heads down as Adam gave them a blurry perusal. He added one and one together as a smile crept across his face.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He tipped his hat to greet his fellow travelers. \u201cMonica\u2026Addy\u2026\u201d He laughed as their heads popped up and he heard their shocked gasps. \u201cI might have known that something was up when you two didn\u2019t stay to hold my hands while I waited for the stage. And it did seem odd that you let me go without more warnings.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYour eyes must be improving.\u201d Addy stated matter-of-factly. \u201cWe thought that if we\u2019d keep our heads down and stay quiet for a bit, we\u2019d be out of town before you started any small talk and then it would have been too late to toss us off.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her voice marked with good-natured exasperation, Monica added \u201cSo what gave us away?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWell, let\u2019s see,\u201d he mused, \u201cYou use a soap that\u2019s distinctive\u2026let me add that\u2019s in a most pleasant way\u2026and I noticed that as soon as you stuck your head inside the door. You also clear your throat when you\u2019re nervous and I heard you do it a few times as you helped Addy get settled. \u00a0And Addy, you groan when you make certain moves\u2014like climbing into a stage and sitting down. I doubt you even notice that you do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Addy laughed at the detective in their midst. \u201cDoggone it. You\u2019re getting too good at paying attention to what your eyes can\u2019t see, Mr. Cartwright. We\u2019ll have to be more clever to pull anything over on you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSo?\u201d he asked after a brief pause\u2014waiting while the two removed their large hats. \u201cWhat takes you to Carson City, ladies? Surely you\u2019re\u00a0not<\/em>\u00a0here to watch over me. I remember we all agreed this morning that I\u2019d do fine by myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Monica cleared her throat, \u201cI don\u2019t know about Addy, but I need a new hat. You could probably see that the one I was wearing is simply too large to be practical, so I thought I\u2019d shop for one in Carson City.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThat makes sense,\u201d he commented with a grin, \u201cAnd, Addy, what do you need?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNothing at all. I\u2019m just the chaperone.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The stage took off with a lurch. Adam leaned his head back and began to experience his surroundings again. He closed his eyes to shut out the affected images he was seeing and listened as the wheels began to grate on the axle. He heard the echo created as the street sounds bounced off the buildings, picking up snippets of conversation that drifted in as they passed people on the street. He heard two men arguing over a poker game and a man hollering at his horse to stop.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The last of what he\u2019d heard brought an image of his father to mind. Ben Cartwright usually got his way, but when he first got Buck, the big horse cared little that Ben wanted to be in charge. Buck was just as headstrong as his owner and he didn\u2019t respond to his rider\u2019s physical directions. Adam could still remember his father pulling up on the reins, and being reduced to hollering, \u201cWhoa, dangit!\u201d when Buck didn\u2019t stop. Eventually man and animal began to function as a well-oiled team, but during that time he and his brothers had called the horse, Dangit\u2014of course that was only when their father wasn\u2019t around to hear.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He hadn\u2019t been able to think much about his family, but with the recollection he\u2019d just had, they now they rode the stage with him just as surely as Monica and Addy.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It had surprised Adam to hear that his father and brothers were off to an auction already. Such events were usually seen as holidays in the Cartwright family, and he experienced a twinge of bitterness as he considered how quickly his father appeared to have moved on without him. But that was Ben Cartwright\u2019s way; he was a man of decision and action, and he wouldn\u2019t have spent time moping. Adam\u2019s acrimony was soon replaced by relief that his brothers were off having a good time. He knew that his father had been very angry when he\u2019d left and those first few hours, and possibly days, could not have been pleasant for Hoss and Little Joe.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He missed his family a great deal. His father\u2019s questions had cut him to the bone and he was still as sore from that as he was from Tiny\u2019s battering. Only time would tell how he\u2019d go about fixing that. His hope had been that he would reunite his family in a purpose that would ease the trouble with his father. All their familial disagreements fell to the side when they faced a common enemy, and Margot would have been such an foe. It was a moot point now. What shook him most was that perhaps the fact that his family was gone when he needed them was an omen that things couldn\u2019t be fixed and he would now be facing life without them behind him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The stage was out of town now and picking up speed, the mechanical workings of the stage created a constant assault of sound. Adam could envision where they were simply from the feel of the road, and nodded in satisfaction when he heard a reverberation as they passed between the walls of a small canyon at the point he expected it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He was still lost in his mental journey when he felt a touch on his knee, bringing him back into the confines of the coach.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Adam. I didn\u2019t think you\u2019d be this upset that we came along.\u201d It was Monica\u2019s voice.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not upset.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou could have fooled us. You might not see well right now, but Addy and I still see just fine, and you\u2019ve been scowling since we left. Maybe you should just say what\u2019s on your mind and clear the air.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He didn\u2019t realize that his concentration would be interpreted as being angry, but then again, he wasn\u2019t sure how he\u2019d appear to someone else. \u201cI\u2019m not upset, Monica. I was listening, and then got lost in thought. I\u2019ve been rude and I\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Addy laughed. \u201cYou have been rude, but we forgive you and don\u2019t do it again.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSo you two would like to chat?\u201d He asked as a wry smile preceded his next question. \u201cI know where I\u2019d like to start\u2026 Why\u00a0are<\/em>\u00a0you both here? I know you each lost someone you cared about and hold Margot accountable and would like to see her face her deeds. And I\u2019m kicking myself because I could have had her arrested in Virginia City, and instead let her go free and almost died because I underestimated her. My purpose for this trip is to make sure that she doesn\u2019t harm anyone else. I have to say that having you along makes that harder, since I will be worrying about your safety.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Addy poked Monica. \u201cTell him, child. He needs to know the whole truth.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam was suddenly at alert. \u201cTell me what?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Monica hesitated, but finally began. \u201cThe reason I could sense what Margot had done to you was because she\u2019d done the same to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHow so?\u201d His tone was concerned.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve never told us exactly what happened, but I have a pretty good idea that she said something to your father that made him doubt you. And even though it wasn\u2019t true, it penetrated into a trust that had never been questioned before.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam nodded without offering details.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI told you that Margot envied what I had but didn\u2019t want to work for it. I fired her, but a few years later she convinced me that she had seen the light and should have a second chance.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd being the generous fool she is, she gave it to her,\u201d Addy interjected.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYes I did. And that\u2019s when she stopped talking about you and started talking about me. She said that I was a gold-digger and had only married my husband for his money. Marcus was more than 20 years older than me, but I loved him and we worked hard together to get what we had.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShe started whispering in Marcus\u2019s ear, saying how young I was and that I couldn\u2019t help but be interested in all the handsome younger men that came through the saloon. Marcus and I both laughed about it\u2026at first. But then she started alerting Marcus whenever I\u2019d talk to a younger man, It was part of my job to talk to customers\u2014young, old, and in-between\u2014but with her continuous sniping, Marcus was soon making odd remarks about it. He knew his doubts were unfounded, but it seemed that whatever Margot said about my unfaithfulness made more sense to him than anything I could say to contradict it. We had never argued, but before long we argued constantly. I was so upset that I went to visit a friend for a few days just to get away from the tension between us.\u201d She paused to withdraw a handkerchief from her handbag. \u201cWhile I was gone, Margot pulled her first \u2018pillar of the community\u2019 ploy that Belle told you about.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Addy broke in, \u201cAnd guess who her first victim was?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam said, \u201cMarcus.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShe got him drunk, and whether anything actually happened or not, she got him in a position where he thought it might have. Marcus was a ruined man over it. He confessed to being with her when I got home, but that didn\u2019t stop her. She wanted Marcus to divorce me and marry her. She wanted what I had\u2026all of it, and it didn\u2019t bother her that she was just as young as me and was the gold digger she accused me of being.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Monica stopped speaking as her gaze shifted outside the coach in an effort to find her focus again. \u201cMarcus told her that he\u2019d confessed to me and she couldn\u2019t hold that over him. At that time Marcus wanted to start up some main-street businesses like a general store and a restaurant. Margot threatened to ruin his name so that no one would want him next door.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHe told her he was going to the sheriff to make a complaint against her.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cObviously that never happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Marc owned shares in a gold mine outside of town, and one day he received a note saying there were problems and to come quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cLet me guess. He had an accident,\u201d Adam said resignedly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Monica nodded. \u201cIt seemed plausible at the time. It appeared that he\u2019d been inspecting the sluice system when he fell and broke his neck. No one saw it. No one from the mine was there or knew why Marcus had gone out there\u2014but he was still dead. It was a dark time for me and I don\u2019t think I wanted to face the truth. I\u2019d lost my husband\u2019s confidence, his faithfulness and the man himself in a matter of weeks, and I was devastated. That\u2019s when I went to San Francisco.\u201d She looked up as her voice strengthened. \u201cI\u2019ve learned a lot over the years I\u2019ve been alone and have done well for myself and this town. However, there\u2019s one thing I can do to make things even better, and that\u2019s to make sure Margot pays for the lives she\u2019s taken or ruined. I want to help you any way I can, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam reached for her hand across the expanse of the coach. \u201cWe\u2019ll get her, Monica.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Part 3<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Battle for Justice<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

One<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Lost Is Found<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hoss stayed behind when Little Joe and his father went to the cattle auction. There was nothing wrong with cattle; he just couldn\u2019t imagine spending his day off with them. He preferred reading and watching the world go by as he sat in the hotel lobby. When his stomach began to growl, he decided to head for a caf\u00e9 where he knew that the food was tasty, inexpensive, and above all, plentiful. On the way, he stopped now and then to look at the goods available in the store windows.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing would like one of them big skillets,\u201d he mumbled as he looked at the display at the mercantile. \u201cHe could make twice the amount of eggs he can now all at once. Maybe I\u2019ll get it for him before we leave tomorrow.\u201d His rumbling stomach reminded him of where he was going and he continued on to the restaurant.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He was seated at a window table, and received his heaping portion of stew and homemade bread when he noticed the stage pull in across the street. Normally he wouldn\u2019t have paid any attention when he was making his way through a plate of food, but he was struck by the woman who exited the coach first.\u00a0She\u2019s a mighty fine lookin\u2019 lady<\/em>, he thought as he took another mouthful of stew and chewed as he continued to watch.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The woman turned to help an older lady to the ground and then assisted a third person. It was this passenger that stalled Hoss\u2019s fork in mid-rise. He was certain it was Adam, and rose from the table intending to make his way outside\u2014until a closer look stopped him. The man wore a black hat and mustard colored coat like those Adam owned, and he was the same general build as his older brother. But as he continued to take in the similarities, the passenger turned, making Hoss reclaim his chair. This person had a short-clipped beard and dark glasses covered his eyes.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It still took several moments of staring at the outwardly familiar silhouette across the street before Hoss finally resumed his meal, mumbling, \u201cFunny how two people can look so much alike from one side and so different from the other.\u201d The factor that finally convinced Hoss that it wasn\u2019t Adam was when the man used a cane to probe the height of the walkway before he stepped up from the street. \u201cThat poor feller is blind,\u201d he said sadly as he grabbed a piece of bread and sopped up the leftover gravy.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss stretched as he exited the eatery. Other than the letdown he experienced after realizing the familiar looking person was not his brother, he was in very good spirits. As his eyes adjusted to the mid-day brightness, he spotted the two women he\u2019d seen exit the stage, standing together in the next block. They were talking with a curly-haired boy and two older people he thought resembled Jake Reed and his grandparents. He was anxious to see if he was right, but his misidentification during lunch left him a little unsure of his observational powers, so he figured he\u2019d get a closer look before calling any attention to himself.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

His progress was slowed to a crawl as he made his way around knots of people congregating on the crowded boardwalk. By the time he got to where he wanted to be, the family was already driving away in their wagon, while the two women waved goodbye.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss approached them, tipped his hat and asked, \u201cPardon me, ladies, but might that have been the Reed family you were jest talkin\u2019 to?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYes it was\u201d the younger woman answered. \u201cWe only just met Cal and Sara, but have known Jake his entire life. Do you know the family well?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI only got to know Jake a few weeks back and met his grandparents then.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The other woman gave the big man a look from toe to head and grinned as she said, \u201cMonica, take a good look at this gentleman. He has fists as big as fence posts and he met Jake recently\u2026\u201d She turned to Hoss, asking, \u201cAre you perhaps Hoss Cartwright from the Ponderosa?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYes, ma\u2019am, I am. How in tarnation do you know that?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou must have gotten the telegram after all! That\u2019s wonderful. Your brother will be happily surprised,\u201d Monica exclaimed as she grabbed Hoss\u2019s hand and shook it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A puzzled look crossed Hoss\u2019s face as his eyes narrowed. \u201cWhat telegram are you talking about and what\u2019s my brother got to do with this? Joe\u2019s with my pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The older of the two women cut in, \u201cHoss, I\u2019m Addy Barker and this is Monica Crawford. We met your older brother, Adam, in Placerville, and we\u2019ve all come here because we found out that this is where Margot Tanner went after she left Virginia City. Adam sent your family a telegram asking you to meet him here, but a Sheriff Coffee sent word that you were all away at a cattle auction. Thankfully,\u00a0this<\/em>\u00a0is where you headed.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWell, don\u2019t that beat all,\u201d Hoss shook his head. The big man looked around hoping to catch a glimpse of his missing sibling. \u201cDid you say that Adam was here too?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Monica told him, \u201cWe all arrived on the stage today, but he\u2019s off talking with the sheriff.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss flinched. \u201cI saw you two ladies arrive today when I was having lunch, and there was another person…but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Addy offered, \u201cThat was your brother. He was the last one off the coach.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019s voice lost its volume as he pictured the man who seemed so familiar, reaching out with the cane to find the step. \u201cBut that man was\u2026blind.\u201d He looked down at his boots. \u201cMy brother, Adam, ain\u2019t blind.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Monica led Hoss to a bench at the rear of the boardwalk where they could speak without being jostled by the crowd. \u201cI\u2019m sure that you saw Adam wearing those dark glasses and using a cane and came to the conclusion that he couldn\u2019t see. The good news is that Adam isn\u2019t blind. He can tell you the details of what happened and why, but I\u2019ll give you the short version. Would that help?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYes\u2019m. I\u2019d appreciate that. Right now I\u2019m purely confused.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAdam came to Placerville over a week ago asking questions about Margot Tanner. That got him in trouble with a man who does Margot\u2019s dirty work. He beat your brother badly, but you know that Adam is a fighter and he recovered. One of the blows caused a problem with his eyes, but Doctor Stevens, from Placerville, assured him that he\u2019ll see fine in no time. Those tinted glasses block out bright light and help him see better. He has a clear pair as well to help him indoors, and the cane comes in handy when the terrain is unfamiliar or in shadows.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019s listened closely as Monica recounted Adam\u2019s condition. He leaned forward as she described the injuries; his hands and jaw clenched with his billowing tension and anger. When she finished, he demanded, \u201cWho hurt my brother like that? Tell me who he is so\u2019s I can take care\u2019a him!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Addy stepped in front of the big man, laid her hands on his shoulders, and spoke soothingly, but firmly, \u201cNo you won\u2019t, Hoss. You\u2019ll let Adam explain all that\u2019s happened and what he\u2019s found out.\u00a0 Then you and your family will help bring this to a lawful conclusion. You got that?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss looked up at Addy, uttering a sheepish, \u201cYes ma\u2019am,\u201d just as he noticed his brother\u2019s black hat bobbing amid the crowd on the walkway. He moved Addy aside as he stood and hollered, \u201cAdam!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Two<\/strong><\/p>\n

Healing Bodies, Healing Hearts<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss checked the clock in the hotel dining room again; his sigh betrayed his impatience at his father and brother\u2019s late arrival. \u201cThey was supposed to be here at 6:30,\u201d he repeated to his oldest brother who was sitting across the table from him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI know, you told me several times already.\u201d Adam laughed. \u201cRelax, Hoss, they\u2019ll be here when they get here. It can\u2019t be much after 6:30 anyway. I just heard the clock chime the half hour a minute or two ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right. I\u2019m just purely jumpin\u2019 outta my skin in anticipation is all. Pa\u2019s gonna be so happy to see you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSo you said.\u201d Adam sighed this time, \u201cI\u2019m not so sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve done reassured you about that enough, and you\u2019re just gonna hafta take my word for it.\u201d Hoss glanced again at the clock before changing the subject. \u201cThem ladies from Placerville are nice.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cUnhuh\u2026\u201d Adam responded as his mind returned to events of a few hours earlier when he heard his name hollered while making his way back to the stage office. There had been no mistaking his brother\u2019s shout and he\u2019d made his way toward the tall hat that had protruded well above the other heads around him. Hoss\u2019s voice had felt like home as he\u2019d said, \u201cIt\u2019s good to see ya, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It had been an unexpected, but easy reunion, and having Hoss handy provided assistance he\u2019d been grateful to have. After a brief conversation during which he\u2019d managed to defer most of Hoss\u2019s questions, he\u2019d sent his brother to the stage office to retrieve Ned Seeley\u2019s things. Hoss had returned carrying the saddle over one shoulder, and the box of other mementos under his other arm in time to welcome the Reeds back from the errand they\u2019d run. It had been pure luck that Jake had spotted Addy and Monica on the boardwalk as the Reeds had driven their wagon through town earlier.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

While Hoss and Addy kept Jake busy, Adam pulled Cal and Sara aside, telling them what he\u2019d discovered about the boy\u2019s father. He\u2019d also checked to make sure that Sheriff Michaels had warned them about Margot being in town, and had received their reassurance that they were being careful.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With Cal and Sara\u2019s permission, Adam had told Jake what he\u2019d found out about his father. He\u2019d showed the youngster the saddle, the gun and holster, and a few other trinkets from the box, as he\u2019d explained, \u201cThese thing belonged to your pa, Jake. There\u2019s also a letter from the commander of Fort Apache near where your father worked in Arizona, telling a little more about him.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Jake\u2019s head had dropped to his chest as he\u2019d stated, \u201cI guess that means he ain\u2019t ever coming for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the worst news I can give you, yet it\u2019s the best of the worst. Your father was on his way for you and your mother when he died.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam had wrapped his arm around Jake as he\u2019d heard the child\u2019s breath catch in a strangled sob, and had waited until he\u2019d heard him breathing normally again before continuing. \u201cJake, I\u2019m finding out that Margot was wrong about a lot of things. The one thing she was most wrong about was your father. He wasn\u2019t a no-account. He was a hard-working man who wanted to be with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The boy had nodded and offered a quiet \u201cthank you,\u201d before he\u2019d placed the items he\u2019d been holding back into the box and moved it to the wagon.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam had wondered at the child\u2019s poise in hearing about the death. He knew it wasn\u2019t enough for Jake to know that he\u2019d been loved all along, because right then the loss was too raw.\u00a0 His hope was that he\u2019d at least given the child a place to start.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Once everyone had gathered by the wagon, the subject had arisen as to where they would stay. Adam said he\u2019d bunk with his family, but every hotel room and boarding house in Carson City was filled with cattlemen. Monica and Addy had gratefully accepted the Reeds\u2019 invitation to stay with them. It had seemed a perfect way for them to get to know each other while sharing their stories of Missy.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In their brief goodbye, Monica had told Adam, \u201cI\u2019m glad you\u2019ll be able to talk to your family without any onlookers. I\u2019ll miss you, but it\u2019s best this way.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

They\u2019d agreed to meet in two days, after Adam had assured them that he and his family could conclude their inquiries in that amount of time. Talking to Cal privately, he\u2019d advised remaining vigilant for strangers near the ranch; to always check the team\u2019s hitch before leaving the yard, and to keep his door bolted and shotgun handy. He\u2019d also promised to send Hoss out in the morning to be an additional set of eyes as he began to beat the bushes in town looking for Margot. Adam knew that this would be the most dangerous time for all of them since he couldn\u2019t be sure how she might react, or who she might decide to come after if she felt threatened.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As these images receded, Adam allowed himself to linger in the memory of Monica\u2019s goodbye kiss\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam\u2026Adam!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019s voice broke into Adam\u2019s reflections and he leaned forward, asking, \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThey just walked in.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam was sitting with his back to the entrance of the dimly lit, crowded dining room and knew his father and Little Joe would need to be much closer before they might recognize him. He breathed deeply and wiped his hands against the legs of his pants as his sudden burst of apprehension made his heart pound and palms moisten. As he saw Hoss rise to wave them over to their table, he steeled himself for the worst.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s voice carried clearly as he moved closer in the noisy room. \u201cEvening, Hoss.\u201d Without waiting for an answer, he added, \u201cLooks like someone\u2019s joining us for dinner?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI think you might know this feller, Pa,\u201d Hoss replied.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam rose and turned, causing his father to stop abruptly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Little Joe was following close behind and stumbled into Ben\u2019s back. \u201cWhat are you doing, Pa?\u201d he groused as he moved to his father\u2019s side and saw what had stopped the man in his tracks. \u201cAdam!\u201d he hollered as he moved past Ben to slap his brother on the back. \u201cWhat\u2019s with the whiskers and glasses?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss motioned Joe away with a jerk of his head, leaving the Father and eldest son in a stare-down.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam spoke first. \u201cYou have me at a disadvantage, Pa. Something happened while I was gone, and I can\u2019t see your expression. You\u2019ll have to say something so I know whether I\u2019m welcome or not.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The older man seemed rooted where he stood for a moment, but he stepped forward and greeted his son with a handshake. \u201cIt\u2019s good to see you, son.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The emotion in his father\u2019s voice and the strength of the grasp that he refused to release, told Adam all that was necessary. \u201cI missed you too, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben wanted to embrace his son, but not in a room full of prying eyes, and continued shaking his hand instead.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam could feel his father\u2019s dilemma as his arm pumped with the older man\u2019s vice-like grip. Pulling his hand free, he held Ben\u2019s shoulders and leaned forward as he expressed his sorrow for the ways things had been left between them.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m the one who\u2019s sorry son, you have no need to apologize.\u201d However, as they sat down next to each other, Ben added, \u201cExcept you could have sent word to let us know that you were safe.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Little Joe eased the meeting by saying. \u201cYeah, Adam, you should never make Pa worry like that. He almost wore a hole in the floor with his pacing while you were gone. I want to tell you that would have taken a lot of work to repair.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

There was a brief silence as the four men settled into their places\u2014both at the table, and as a family.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, it sure is good to see you!\u201d Joe remarked sincerely. \u201cBut what is with those specs and you not being able to see?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam knew he owed his family a report and certainly needed their opinions on many things, but deflected the topic for the present time. \u201cIf you like these, you should see the dark ones I wear during the day.\u00a0 But, why don\u2019t we talk about my\u00a0short-sightedness<\/em>\u00a0later?\u201d He grinned at them. \u201cMaybe for now you could tell me what\u2019s been happening with you?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Although the group was anxious to know where he was during his absence and what happened to him when he was there, they respected Adam\u2019s wish for privacy. Joe turned the conversation toward the price that bulls were bringing at the auction, while Hoss remarked on daily life at the ranch.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Knowing his father as well as he did, Adam wasn\u2019t surprised that he was reserved while the two brothers chattered on. He knew that his father was far more interested in the circumstances that had led to his son\u2019s injuries than in hearing about the mundane topics being discussed. But in typical Ben Cartwright fashion, he was waiting\u2026impatiently, but with aplomb.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam gave a half-grin when Ben subtly adjusted his chair a few inches closer while grumbling about the legs being wobbly. And he didn\u2019t mind when his father\u2019s arm slipped around the back of his chair while leaning toward him in a protective gesture. Adam didn\u2019t even care that Ben stayed in that position until their meals arrived and he was forced to sit upright to eat. But he finally got edgy as Ben stopped eating and turned toward him in a perpetual gaze. Looking over at him, Adam remarked, \u201cPa, stop staring at me.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not staring at you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe chimed in, \u201cYeah you are, Pa. I was just thinking the same thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben turned a rosy shade of pink. \u201cSorry son. I just want to make sure you\u2019re still there.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry pa, I\u2019m not going anywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Three<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Truth and Nothing But the Truth<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The weeks of separation faded as the Cartwrights finished dinner and adjourned to the family\u2019s suite. Once settled with glasses of brandy in hand, Ben got things going with a commanding. \u201cNow, Adam, tell us what happened to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not even sure where to start, Pa. I\u2019ve found out so much that my head is spinning.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben wore a mild smirk as he goaded his son a bit. \u201cYou told us just enough downstairs to indicate that you\u2019ve been following Margot Tanner\u2019s trail. I guess I have to ask why. Weren\u2019t you dead set against getting \u2018involved\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam laughed. He knew his father was right in calling him on his change of heart, but he\u2019d meant every word\u2014at the time he\u2019d said them. \u201cJake told me that Margot always had \u2018a bee in her bonnet\u2019 about me. That got me thinking that her need to strike out existed long before she arrived in Virginia City. Before Roy sent her away, I had a chance to ask her about it, and her answer was a rambling, insane fabrication. I realized then that I had to find out more about her years in Placerville\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss interjected, \u201cWe saw Sheriff Coffee after you left, and he mentioned some of what that woman said to you in his office. Why d\u2019ya suspect she held to them fantasies, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone I\u2019ve spoken to has made the same conclusion: there\u2019s no point trying to understand the woman. She operates on her own set of rules, twists the truth to suit her purpose and probably gets rid of those she feels are in her way or upsetting her plans.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

For the next hour Adam told his family what he learned from the people of Placerville, including the suspicions of Margot\u2019s involvement in several deaths. He recounted meeting Monica and Addy, and spoke of their assistance after he was injured.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

His father interrupted, \u201cAre you talking about Monica Crawford, the woman who owns a third of Placerville?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Pa, that Monica Crawford.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben sat up straighter with a look of satisfaction, \u201cCount on you to find the richest woman in town to be your nurse.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss broke in with a chuckle, \u201cShe ain\u2019t like no nurse I ever met, Pa. She\u2019s beautiful, and that Addy that\u2019s with her is a pistol.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSo when do I get to meet this beautiful, rich woman?\u201d Joe asked with interest.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you be getting\u2019 any ideas, little brother.\u201d Hoss elbowed him in the ribs. \u201cI saw our older brother kiss her goodbye when she went off with the Reeds. So you best stay clear of her or Adam\u2019ll hit you with his cane. Addy\u2019s available though. She might be a tad older than you, Joe, but she\u2019ll give you a run for your money.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s interest was piqued. \u201cDo you care for this woman, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe haven\u2019t had time to get to know each other, but I very much like what I\u2019ve found so far.\u201d He didn\u2019t wait for more questions concerning Monica. \u201cLet me finish the rest of the Placerville story so you\u2019ll all know what we\u2019re facing.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam recounted Tiny\u2019s attempt to kill him, including a brief description of his injuries. He teased his father, \u201cI\u2019m sure you\u2019ll be relieved to know that my sight should clear soon. What I see now is blurry, Pa, but don\u2019t think I haven\u2019t noticed you moving furniture out of the way every time I stand up or move around the room.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben chuckled as he agreed, \u201cYou caught me again.\u201d His voice became somber then as he confessed, \u201cYou\u2019ve revealed an astonishing tale about Margot Tanner. It is hard to believe that\u00a0anyone<\/em>\u00a0can be so devious and cold-blooded\u2014especially a young woman. But then, I still can\u2019t believe that I let her manipulate me so easily.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou aren\u2019t the only person she fooled, Pa. She\u2019s a well-practiced, nimble and believable liar.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s true.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss rose from the couch as he said, \u201cHey Joe, maybe you an\u2019 me ought to take a walk and let these two sort some things out.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam stopped them. \u201cYou can stay. I\u2019d like you to hear what I have to say if Pa doesn\u2019t mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Receiving a nod of approval from his father, Hoss retook his seat.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam addressed his father, \u201cI\u2019ve had time to consider what happened that day, Pa. Margot\u2019s schemes and trickery affected your judgment because it poked deep in your heart. You know how hard it is to raise children on your own and you were moved by her plight. Family is sacred to you, and even when times were the hardest, you wouldn\u2019t have put us in harm\u2019s way or used us to your benefit. I think you couldn\u2019t believe that Margot\u2019s predicament was anything other than what she said it was. \u00a0When given the choice of accepting that I might lie to you, or thinking that a person could use a child unjustly, you chose Margot\u2019s lie over my truth.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He stopped for a moment to let those thoughts settle. \u201cI\u2019ll make those concessions. You are a man of honor and wanted to act honorably toward Jake. But I am an honorable man too. \u00a0I told you the truth, expecting\u2026needing you of all people, to believe me without reservation. Of all the crazy things that I\u2019ve dealt with in the last few weeks, the thing that is still hardest for me to comprehend is that you stopped believing me.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI agree, and I\u2019m sorry that things went so awry,\u201d Ben said thoughtfully. \u201cI should have known that people are capable of evil things, but more importantly, I should have known that\u00a0you<\/em>\u00a0are not. Once I thought it over, I could never imagine a time when you would abandon a son, no matter what the circumstances.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI figured as much\u2026\u201d Adam smiled as he sighed, \u201cThis was an unexpected and inconceivable experience for both of us, but Pa\u2026don\u2019t ever question my truthfulness again. That doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t compel me to examine my reasoning or make me think things through more carefully. But I\u2019ve never lied to you and won\u2019t. You\u2019ll have to accept that as paramount.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI understand.\u201d Ben added nothing more. His son would have to believe that his promise was sacred and only time could bring the proof.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Four<\/strong><\/p>\n

I Can See Clearly Now<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam stood and walked to the mantel, refilling his glass from the decanter of brandy. He noticed that his father rose as well, but this time allowed him to find his own way. \u201cGetting back to the issue we\u2019ll be dealing with in the next days; Margot Tanner cannot be underestimated and seems to have no conscience to temper her actions. The truth remains that I never hurt her or gave her false expectations, yet she hated me enough to want me dead. She\u2019s here in Carson for some reason. I suspect that she intends to go after the Reeds.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss asked incredulously, \u201cYa don\u2019t think she\u2019d hurt the boy, do ya?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam shrugged. \u201cI don\u2019t know. My guess is that she\u2019d go after Cal and Sara so that he\u2019d be dependent on her, just like his mother was.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A knowing look crossed Hoss\u2019s face. \u201cI remember somethin\u2019 from when we was kids that\u2019s always stuck in my craw. Yancy Yates, that kid whose family moved onto the Johnson ranch, had a good ol\u2019 dog, named Barney. I always wished I had me a dog like that and never understood why Yancy was plumb evil to it. He\u2019d be all nice to Barney one minute, then would use the rope around its neck to nearly choke the poor thing and pull it to the ground if it so much as wagged its tail at another person. I asked him once why he got so mad about his dog just doing what dogs do. He got this icy look and said, \u2018He ain\u2019t got no call to be sniffin\u2019 around anyone else. He\u2019s mine and I\u2019m just makin\u2019 sure he remembers it.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe added, \u201cThat dog finally broke and walked around the rest of his life with his tail between his legs, just expecting to be kicked. Later I heard that it bit off one of a Yancy\u2019s fingers when he stuck it in the dog\u2019s face once too often. He put Barney down after that.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam sent his brothers a wry smile. \u201cSeems like you two have stumbled onto the perfect example of Margot Tanner. She has a warped sense of what loyalty is, and when someone can\u2019t live up to her ideal, she pulls their leash up short, and\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben finished, \u201cAnd puts them down if they bite back.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam breathed loudly, breaking the silence that had blanketed the room. \u201cIt\u2019s obvious that Margot expects things to go her way, and me being alive isn\u2019t going to sit well.\u00a0 That should give us an advantage.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben noted that Adam seemed restless; pacing the floor until he finally collapsed into his chair again. His son\u2019s unease infected Ben, sending icy tendrils of fear to clutch at his heart. He wondered how close he\u2019d come to losing Adam at Tiny\u2019s hands, and he wasn\u2019t going to let anyone take what had been returned to him. Yet he knew with surety that Adam would see this through. Nothing he could say would avert the coming confrontation.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He moved behind Adam\u2019s chair and gripped his son\u2019s shoulders. He knew he couldn\u2019t keep him back from what he needed to do, but perhaps he could hold onto him until then. Unlike the last time he\u2019d made this gesture, Adam didn\u2019t pull away.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you need us to do, son?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The uneasiness vanished as Adam took control again. \u201cI\u2019ve been thinking about that. It would probably work best if we\u2019d split our efforts. Hoss, I\u2019ll ask you to head out to the Reeds\u2019 ranch tomorrow. I don\u2019t want Cal and the ladies out there alone once we start poking around in town. I\u2019m guessing he wouldn\u2019t mind a little muscle around his place either.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cBe glad to do that, brother. I\u2019ll head out first thing and stay glued to them until this is over.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Turning to his father and Little Joe, Adam continued, \u201cThe rest of us will split up to check the saloons, businesses and boarding houses to figure out what Margot\u2019s been doing. The sheriff says that Tiny works at the CC Saloon, but we\u2019ll need to know where she works and lives before going further.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With initial plans in place, Ben suggested that they get some rest. The evening had passed quickly, the mantle clock confirming this as it chimed 2 AM. \u00a0The younger sons gladly turned in while Ben remained up, saying he needed to finish his drink, while he waited for his third son to fall asleep on the sofa.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam had commandeered every available cushion and pillow to build up the couch to sleep with his torso elevated. Both brothers and Ben had offered their bed to him, but he had assured them he\u2019d be most comfortable in a semi-sitting position. After making a few final adjustments, he raised his feet onto the couch as he sank back into his solid nest. His father was soon standing next to him holding out a blanket. Adam grinned up at him as he yawned, \u201cThe last time someone stood next to me holding something up like that, it was Addy holding my pants so I couldn\u2019t leave. But that\u2019s a story for another time.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It surprised Ben that his oldest was asleep in a matter of minutes. He wondered if Adam\u2019s ability to drift off so quickly stemmed from the same sort of relief his son described in those who\u2019d shared their stories with him in Placerville. Was it possible that people were so affected by being immersed in Margot\u2019s insanity that they couldn\u2019t feel safe or whole again until they heard the stories voiced; receiving a validation of their own sanity in the telling?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Whatever brought about Adam\u2019s rapid transition to sleep was fine with Ben. His child had looked so tired throughout the evening that he\u2019d worried whether he was really up to the task he\u2019d set out for them. With the peace of knowing Adam was resting, he soon drifted off himself\u2026still sitting in a chair that was within reaching distance of his son.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shafts of early-morning sun already pierced the windows when Adam awoke in his family\u2019s suite. He raised his arm to block the glare and realized that what he saw around him was much clearer. His father still snored in the chair next to him and Adam focused on the deep lines in the man\u2019s face where his jaw hung slack. He noticed the color contrast between the dark strands of his father\u2019s hair mixed in with the silver, and saw the grizzled whiskers that had appeared during the night.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Wanting a few more moments of private exploration, Adam rose quietly and began to examine everything around him. He saw the muted pattern in the fabric covering of the sofa. As he walked the room he found the ornate design sculpted into the mantle of the fireplace, and saw the fine detailing of the lace in the curtains. His only disappointment came as he tried to read from a letter he found lying on the desk. Trying again after donning the glasses from Doctor Stevens, the print cleared enough for him to make out a few of the cursive letters. But this didn\u2019t disappoint him since he now recognized that it was his father\u2019s handwriting, and most people had trouble deciphering Ben Cartwright\u2019s scrawl. To his great relief and joy, he opened a book that was hidden by the letter, and could easily read the larger print on the first few pages. He let out a whoop that brought his brothers running, and nearly caused Ben to take a header as he tripped on the blanket while trying to rise from his chair.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong, Adam?\u201d he asked while trying to extricate himself from the folds of material.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam blushed as he saw Hoss and Joe standing in their nightshirts with their mouths agape, and replied sheepishly, \u201cSorry. I didn\u2019t mean to startle you all.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss stretched while yawning loudly, \u201cWhat\u2019d ya do that for, then? You in pain or somethin\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m fine, Hoss.\u201d He smiled broadly. \u201cIn fact I\u2019m more than fine! I can see your mouths hanging open, your knobby knees sticking out under those shirts, Pa\u2019s growth of whiskers, and…!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben made his way out of his cocoon and grabbed Adam, exclaiming, \u201cYou can see?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam nodded and finally breathed an emphatic, \u201cYes!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Five<\/strong><\/p>\n

Pinning Down the Enemy<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After a hurried breakfast, Hoss headed for the Reed farm, while the rest of the family finalized their strategy to find Margot. Ben decided he would make inquiries at the saloons, laying out cash to jog memories if it seemed appropriate. Little Joe thought he\u2019d do best at the women\u2019s boarding houses where some boyish charm, a kiss on the hand and some sweet talk, might have the same effect as a his father\u2019s gold coins.<\/p>\n

Ben spotted her at a table toward the back of the same place where Tiny worked. Margot didn\u2019t notice him since she was involved in a loud conversation with a wide-eyed man who seemed to be cowering in his chair. Fortunately it wasn\u2019t a saloon that the Cartwrights came to when in town, so Ben knew he wouldn\u2019t be recognized. He slid his hat down to shadow his face, sidled up to the bar and slid a five dollar gold piece toward the man pouring drinks. Tipping his head toward the table where Margot was seated, he asked, \u201cWho\u2019s the woman back there?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The money disappeared into barkeep\u2019s apron as he poured Ben a glass of passable whiskey. \u201cCalls herself Margot Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Careful not to show any reaction, Ben asked further, \u201cWhat do you know about her?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMister\u2026you lookin\u2019 for a girl, we got \u2018em, but my advice is to stay away from that one.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not looking for anything except information about \u2018that one<\/em>.\u2019 Tell me what you know.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

No one could withstand Ben\u2019s glare, and the bartender started talking. \u201cShe got here a couple-three weeks back, saying she was married to Adam Cartwright, from that big ranch called the Ponderosa. Claims the man up and got himself killed in Placerville. Gotta say I wondered why the widow of a rich man was lookin\u2019 for work in a saloon, but she said that old-man Cartwright wasn\u2019t letting her have any of their money. I had some sympathy for her and hired her on. But mister, I\u2019d run far and fast from her. She\u2019s crazy as a rabid skunk and causes nothin\u2019 but trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat kind of trouble?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShe gets the guys to buy drinks and then she joins \u2018em in drinkin\u2019 and gets so wound up she starts accusin\u2019 them of lyin\u2019 to her about lovin\u2019 her, finally ending up sobbing until the poor drunks pay her just to shut her up. She has a way of drawing the poor suckers in and then leavin\u2019 them wonderin\u2019 what hit \u2018em. I\u2019m gonna let her go right after the cattle auction ends. There\u2019s been so many people in town we needed the extra help, but after tomorrow we say good riddance. Fact is she ain\u2019t even s\u2019posed to be here now. She don\u2019t need to be in til six, but that crazy biddy usually spends the whole day in here.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben kept his questions simple. \u201cDo you know where she\u2019s staying?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cBoardin\u2019 house back off Main Street. Take a left at the end of the block.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Stepping back from the bar, Ben stared the man down a last time, \u201cThanks for the information. You won\u2019t tell\u00a0anyone<\/em>\u00a0about our conversation. Understand?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The bartender quickly agreed, \u201cSure mister. No problem. Never saw you here.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As he moved to the door, Ben took a final look back toward Margot who was still deep in conversation. He didn\u2019t notice the man entering the saloon until he collided with him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The man reproached him, saying \u201cWatch where yer goin\u2019, old man.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Stopped in his tracks, Ben eyed the mountain before him. Considering the incredible bulk coupled with the childlike voice, he had no doubt that this was Tiny, the man who had nearly killed his son. Not wanting any trouble or attention, Ben sidestepped him and looked down, muttering, \u201cI\u2019m very sorry,\u201d as he quickly exited.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The laughter of young women met Ben as he left Main Street and headed toward the boarding house. He smiled, figuring he would find his youngest son holding court once he got there. He was right.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He stepped inside the open door and saw Joe being entertained by a bevy of young ladies. They were fluttering and giggling while they refilled his coffee cup and encouraged him to sample another cookie. Ben stood as he often did\u2014hands on hips, legs slightly apart, strait and tall\u2014and waited for someone to notice him. When his patience wore thin, he roared, \u201cJoseph!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

All eyes turned to the entrance and a few startled women caught their breath while some actually shrank in the man\u2019s commanding presence. The young man in the middle of the she-wolf pack grinned and made the introductions, \u201cLadies, I\u2019d like you to meet my father, Ben Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The young woman who\u2019d staked her claim by sitting closest to Little Joe, whispered, \u201cHe looks so stern. Not like you at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Speaking softly to those within earshot, Little Joe murmured, \u201cNow you know what I faced every time I did something wrong.\u201d\u00a0 After receiving conciliatory pats and coos from those who heard his comment, he stood to address his father. \u201cPa, we\u2019ve just been talking about the newest boarder, Margot\u00a0Cartwright<\/em>,\u201d emphasizing the last name for his father\u2019s benefit. \u201cI described her to these beautiful ladies and they knew right away who I was talking about. She claims to have married my brother, Adam\u2014who\u2019s dead by the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Heads nodded throughout the room. Marvelle, the girl nearest Joe, spoke out first. \u201cWe\u2019re all scared of her. But she says she\u2019s leaving as soon as she gets the Cartwright money that rightfully belongs to her.\u201d Noticing Ben\u2019s shocked expression, she continued, \u201cLittle Joe told us that\u2019s a lie just like most of the other things she\u2019s said.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Another woman spoke up. \u201cWe assumed a lot of what she\u2019s said was untrue and that was bad enough, but I think she\u2019s been stealing from us. Most of us are missing something. A cameo necklace disappeared from my room soon after she moved in next to me. Marvelle lost a gold pin and others had money or special mementos go missing. As far as we\u2019re concerned, we\u2019d like to pack her things, put them on the porch and bar the door until she\u2019s gone.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben inserted his thoughts as the ladies quieted down after agreeing with what had been said. \u201cI want to thank you for this information and I\u2019m sure that Little Joe thanks you for your hospitality, but we need to get going. We\u2019d appreciate it if you\u2019d say nothing about our visit. We don\u2019t want Margot to know that the truth is out before we can alert the authorities to her whereabouts.\u201d He motioned for Joe to come as he finished, \u201cI don\u2019t mean to frighten you, but I think it would be safest for everyone if you don\u2019t confront her about the lies.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Little Joe peeled the ladies off his arms as he met his father at the door. Turning back to the group, he bowed deeply. \u201cI truly thank all of you for a delightful time. You\u2019ve been most kind.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Adam was sure that his father\u2019s powers of persuasion along with his brother\u2019s subtler means of inquisition would find where Margot lived and worked. This allowed him to move to the areas in town where the woman could do the most damage. Both the Reeds and Cartwrights did business, ran tabs at stores and kept money in the banks of Carson City and he was sure that she\u2019d been on the prowl for any asset that she could latch onto without having to work for it. He estimated that she\u2019d been in town for almost three weeks and knew he\u2019d find some establishment where she\u2019d shown up with some tears and a sympathetic story.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After stopping off for a quick shave to get rid of his itchy growth of whiskers, he hit pay dirt at the First Bank of San Francisco\u2026<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The bank manager was reading from a single sheet of paper as the bell above the door rang to indicate an inbound customer. The paper drifted from his hand as he recognized the man entering. \u201cMr. Cartwright?\u201d He nearly ran from his office to shake Adam\u2019s hand as he added, \u201cIs it really you? I\u2019ll admit that you look different with those glasses, but it\u2019s so good to see you that you\u2019re alive!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Taken aback, Adam replied, \u201cIt\u2019s nice to see you too, Mr. Simpson. May I ask what made you think I was\u2026a\u2026not alive?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Simpson was almost giddy as he ushered Adam behind the tellers\u2019 windows into his office. Picking up the letter that had fallen to the floor, he indicated that his guest should sit. \u201cI\u2019ve just been reading a note from the manager of our branch in Virginia City. It\u2019s about you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMe?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I sent an inquiry there by currier three days ago, after having an odd conversation with a woman who stopped in.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cLet me guess,\u201d Adam speculated. \u201cShe was medium height, brown hair, dark eyes and rather attractive\u2026probably went by the name of Margot.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSo you do know her?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI wish I could say that I don\u2019t. She\u2019s been causing problems for my family lately. What sort of story did she tell you?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt was the strangest thing.\u201d The manager closed his eyes momentarily as he relived the experience. \u201cShe came parading in here early last week, demanding to know if you had any accounts with the bank. Unfortunately, when I refused to tell her anything instead of just saying no, she correctly assumed that you did. At that point she started crying, saying that she was married to you a few weeks earlier, and that you\u2019d been killed in a robbery at a Placerville hotel. She even provided details of how it was a spur-of-the-moment marriage and your family didn\u2019t know anything about it. Because of that your heartless father wasn\u2019t going to give her any money. She said she was waiting here for you and when she found out you were dead, she had to get work at a saloon to get enough cash to eat. The woman practically swooned as she spoke about losing you, but perked up nicely as she asked to know how much money she might be entitled to.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam laughed. \u201cWell, Simpson, that\u2019s some story. You can see that dying is the last thing I plan on doing\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Simpson\u2019s eyes narrowed as he considered the pun and finally laughed as well. \u201cYou can imagine that I was skeptical, and certainly wouldn\u2019t give her any money just from some absurd account of marriage and death. It seemed too far-fetched to be your story, Mr. Cartwright. I\u2019ve never known you to be recklessly impulsive, or as someone who would marry and not make sure your wife had adequate funds to tide her over. But now that I know the truth, I must admit that she was an expert liar. There were no tells to indicate that she was uneasy or being untruthful.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s brows knit as he said, \u201cI\u2019m not sure what you mean.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI can usually spot a liar within a few seconds of meeting them. They won\u2019t look me in the eye, seem nervous and will wring their hands, or play with their hair as they speak.\u201d He grinned slyly at Adam. \u201cYou may not believe it, but a lot of people try to lie to bankers. They must think we\u2019re easily swayed by a sad story. \u00a0But this Margot looked me straight in the eyes as she told her tale and never faltered. In fact her show of indignation at being refused was the best I\u2019ve ever seen. I advised her that I would look into it if she would provide me with both a marriage and death certificate.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDid that appease her?\u201d Adam asked with a snigger. He was enjoying the story as much as Simpson relished telling the details of his foil to Margot\u2019s scheme.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSeemed to. She said she\u2019d need a few days to get a death certificate from Placerville and that she\u2019d be back when she had it. But as I say, I\u2019m not easily fooled and immediately sent a note to Virginia City asking what they knew about your marriage and demise. I was reading the reply just as you came in. That\u2019s what startled me.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Simpson handed over the note, but unable to read the small print, Adam handed it back to the banker. \u201cWould you just summarize what it says? I can\u2019t read this print clearly.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI was wondering about those dark glasses, Mr. Cartwright. I hope there\u2019s nothing seriously wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m fine,\u201d he replied, \u201cNow about the note?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cFrank, at the Virginia City branch, replied that he hadn\u2019t heard any news about you or any of the Cartwrights. Then he checked with Sheriff Coffee who said he hadn\u2019t seen you for a couple of weeks but that he\u2019d have heard something from Placerville if you\u2019d died there. He did make mention of a Margot\u00a0Tanner<\/em>\u00a0who was trying to get money from your family and suspected that it might be her making the inquiries here.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam shook his head, \u201cI\u2019m grateful for your keen sense in this matter, and for your efforts to prove the truth. Do you think she\u2019ll come back?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShe already did. Came in yesterday and said the documents were on the way and wanted to know how much money you had on hand.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

His mouth hung open as he took in this latest information. Regaining his composure Adam noted, \u201cShe does think I\u2019m dead\u2014but that\u2019s a long story I don\u2019t have time to share right now. I do wonder if she\u2019s getting those documents forged somewhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a possibility, but when she was here, I told her I had already checked, and that the accounts at\u00a0our<\/em>\u00a0bank belong to the Ponderosa, not to you as an individual. As such, I couldn\u2019t separate your portion from the rest of your family\u2019s. Then I directed her to retain an attorney in the matter. After that she went crazy, screaming at me that I was in cahoots with your father to keep her from what rightfully belongs to her. She said she would get that money one way or another.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s mouth hung open again. \u201cWhat do you think she meant by that?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The banker chuckled, \u201cI heard that she has some guy following her around like a puppy\u2014a really big guy\u2014and I\u2019ve told the tellers to be on the lookout for both of them. After seeing how crazed she looked while she was screaming at me, I wouldn\u2019t put anything past her.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam snorted, finishing with a sad laugh. \u201cYou really think she might pull something?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou might not have noticed Ernie standing over in the corner holding that shotgun. He\u2019s here with firepower, but stays out of sight so as not to jar the regular customers. I don\u2019t know what she\u2019s capable of perpetrating but also don\u2019t want to take any chances\u2014especially with all the people and money in town right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam stood to shake the man\u2019s hand. \u201cI don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever been more impressed with a banker in my life! Good work, Simpson. Tell me one last thing. Have you heard of any other businesses where she tried to throw the Cartwright name around?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sheriff Michaels from Carson City, met with the Cartwrights in their room towards evening to hear what they\u2019d found out. He didn\u2019t mind that the family had made the inquiries instead of him. He and Adam had spoken the day before and he\u2019d agreed that it would draw more attention if he was out asking the same questions.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe had good luck, sheriff,\u201d Adam began, \u201cMy father and brother located where she works and lives, and I have her pegged for several instances of false claims on our name and business accounts.\u201d The sheriff\u2019s puzzled look made Adam explain further. \u201cShe\u2019s using the name Margot Cartwright and has represented herself as being my widow to at least two banks, a dress shop and the general store.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI see,\u201d the sheriff answered, although his puzzled look showed clearly that he didn\u2019t see at all. \u201cWhy is she doing this? You\u2019re obviously not dead, so what\u2019s in it for her?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben spoke up, \u201cSheriff Michaels, my family and I have wondered the same thing. I know that you\u2019ve heard some things about her, and the truth is that she does whatever seems expeditious at the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat I find most interesting is that she does think I\u2019m dead.\u201d The eyes in the room locked on Adam. \u201cNo one could have told her that except the person who tried to murder me. I think that this is our first break.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe piped up, \u201cHow so?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam had removed his dark glasses earlier and there was no mistaking the gleam in his eyes as he introduced his plan. \u201cWe won\u2019t ever get Margot to confess if we simply arrest her. She didn\u2019t commit the murders of several men even though they bear her signature. So we have to play with her mind a little\u2014turn the tables and get her rattled.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben stood behind his son as he had the evening before. \u201cAdam, I wish you\u2019d stay far away from her and that giant she uses as protection. Let the sheriff handle this.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cPa, there\u2019s no real evidence against her in any of this. Her first defense would be to deny all of it. Then she\u2019d say that Tiny did everything. She\u2019d cry and moan about how she had never wanted any of this\u2014that she just found out what he did and was shocked\u2026 Tiny can\u2019t think or talk fast enough to outwit her, so she\u2019d lie her way clear and put a noose around his neck without a second thought.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSo what are you planning?\u201d Joe spoke up again. \u201cAnd believe me, after all this buildup, it better be good.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Six<\/strong><\/p>\n

A Ghost in the Wind<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

After nightfall, Adam and Joe headed to the CC Saloon, while Ben and the sheriff watched from the shadows of the building entrance next door.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe went inside alone to verify that Margot was there, and brought back the good news that she was working a table near the front of the bar. Adam\u2019s plan turned on the fact that Margot had never met Joe. He hadn\u2019t been at the house the day she\u2019d come to the Ponderosa and he\u2019d been a young child when she\u2019d lived in Virginia City.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It had been a long day, but Adam had been able to rest, so he was reinvigorated and anxious to get on with the plans they\u2019d formulated. Pulling his hat low on his forehead to camouflage the remaining bruising from Tiny\u2019s fist, he swung the saloon doors open enough to step inside.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The crowd was heavy and he was able to make his way around the clusters of revelers without bringing attention to himself. The success of his plan required that he remain indistinguishable amid the sea of others so that no one would remember him if asked. As luck would have it, he was able to find a space at the bar no more than 20 feet from the table where Margot was hovering over a player in a high-stakes game of poker.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her voice carried above the din of the room as the dealer shuffled. \u201cYou other boys ought to just hand your money over to Slim and go home.\u201d She ruffled Slim\u2019s hair and leaned over to plant a kiss on his cheek. \u201cHe\u2019s so lucky tonight he\u2019s gonna take it from y\u2019all anyway, so you might as well make it easy on yourself.\u201d She laughed loudly and kissed him again. \u201cThen he\u2019s gonna buy me a pretty new dress. Ain\u2019t ya Slim?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Slim turned toward Margot as he spat, \u201cGet away from me you cackle-mouthed biddy. I don\u2019t want no one lookin\u2019 over my shoulder while I play. I\u2019ll come get you when I\u2019m done here.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Margot stepped back as undisguised anger rooted in her features. Her eyes narrowed as her lips pursed for a moment. But just as she opened he mouth to speak, she glanced toward the bar and caught sight of Adam. The angry look turned to puzzlement as she gave him a once over.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He waited until she was looking directly at his face before smiling and tipping his hat. Her jaw dropped as she froze, and he used her moment of inaction to make his way to the door.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Margot recovered her senses and headed after him, but as she got to the exit she found it blocked by a young man in a green jacket.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHey little lady,\u201d he crooned as he slid his arm around her. \u201cWhere you headed to so fast? Why don\u2019t you come back inside and join me for a drink?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She pushed Joe\u2019s hands away as she asked, \u201cA man just walked out of here. Which way did he go?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s eyebrows shot up under his hat brim and he gave her a questioning look as he replied, \u201cNo one\u2019s come out of here for some minutes lady. I was getting some fresh air and can guarantee that no one has come through these doors.\u201d He flashed a smile, \u201cNow why don\u2019t we get a table?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Margot pushed Joe aside and exited, examining the dark streets. She stood there for a minute; hands on her waist, foot tapping impatiently. But seeing nothing, she swung around and reentered the saloon. She glared at him as she grabbed Joe\u2019s jacket and asked again, \u201cYou\u2019re sure you didn\u2019t see anyone going out when you came in?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI already told you, lady. You were the only one going out and I was the only one coming in.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She gave him a derisive look and headed back to the poker table.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Looking around the saloon more closely, Joe noted that Tiny was standing watch at a door in the back corner of the room. Given the man\u2019s size, it didn\u2019t surprise him that the saloon owner would press Tiny into service as a guard over the office where the cash was kept. Joe saw Margot give Tiny a quick look, but just as quickly went back to pushing drinks and favoring those at her table with her comments about their card-playing abilities.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After Margot seemed to have settled down, Joe exited the bar and gave out a shrill whistle to signal that it was time for his brother to make a second appearance.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam entered the saloon again, this time making his way around the tables until he stood directly behind Margot\u2019s chair. Absorbed as she watched the stack of bills accumulating in front of the player named Slim, she had no idea Adam was there until he leaned in close enough for her to hear him say, \u201cWhy if it is isn\u2019t the lovely Margot Tanner\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her head snapped around with vertebrae cracking quickness, but due to careful rehearsal, the only one standing behind Margot was Joe, while Adam\u2019s hat bobbed toward the rear exit. Her complexion paled as she screeched at the youngest Cartwright, \u201cWho was that?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe batted his lashes as his forehead creased in question. \u201cWhat do you mean, ma\u2019am?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThere was another man who leaned over my shoulder and said something. Where did he go?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

His jaw dropped a bit as if to respond, and then he shook his head. \u201cI\u2019ve been here for a while now watching these men play cards.\u201d He winked at her, \u201cBut I assure you that I\u2019ve been watching you more. You\u2019re like a lovely flower in the bouquet of weeds in here tonight, and I\u2019m still hoping to persuade you to join me for a drink. I\u2019d have noticed if there\u2019d been another guy horning in on me.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She rose and pushed him to the side, saying, \u201cGet out of my way\u201d as she charged in the direction she thought Adam had gone. After looking behind the building, she made her way up the alley to the front and headed toward the shelter where Adam, Ben and Sheriff Michaels were standing. The sheriff began whistling as he stepped from the darkness and doffed his hat at the approaching Margot. \u201c\u2019Evenin\u2019 ma\u2019am. Beautiful night, isn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Catching the gleam of the man\u2019s badge in the moonlight, she asked. \u201cYou\u2019re the sheriff in this town?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYes, ma\u2019am. I\u2019m Sheriff Michaels. I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve had the pleasure of making your acquaintance.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m Margot Tan\u2026, um, Cartwright. I work in that saloon.\u201d She pointed toward the building. \u201cDid you see a man come out of the alley and walk down the street?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I didn\u2019t. I was making my rounds and other than a few rowdy cowhands, it\u2019s been pretty quiet. Did you lose someone?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d She sighed heavily. \u201cBut someone has been playing a trick on me tonight and I don\u2019t\u2019 like it one bit.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry to hear that.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Margot didn\u2019t bother to say goodbye. She turned, uttering a \u201charrumph\u201d and headed back to the saloon.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After Margot was back inside the bar, the sheriff returned to the store entrance, where Adam shared a report of what had transpired so far.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cFrom the look on her face when I spoke her name, I think one more \u2018sighting\u2019 is all it will take to get a little action. Tiny\u2019s in there too and my guess is that she\u2019ll go to him for an explanation. I\u2019ve been careful not to let him see me, so he won\u2019t know what she\u2019s talking about.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s shoulders sagged. He had thought it would be interesting to toy with Margot\u2019s mind a little, but even this mild deception had been tiring. It left him wondering how anyone could practice a lifetime of such behavior. He shuddered, struck with the massive futility. The truth of Addy\u2019s words about Margot speaking a language of lies drifted into his thoughts. He considered whether this was the product of an affected mind, or if continuous dalliances into the act of lying eventually led to a contorted reality. Was it possible to replace truth with whatever lie seemed to be most fitting? \u00a0His conclusion was that whether the lies were a cause or effect didn\u2019t matter. Margot was so deeply imbedded in the language of lies that she destroyed everyone she touched.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

His thoughts of Margot waned as he let his mind drift to the other women he\u2019d met along this same journey. Leaning back against the door jamb, he closed his eyes and wondered how Monica and Addy were doing with the Reeds. His acquaintance with them was recent, but he found that he missed them both.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

His father\u2019s voice broke into his thoughts. \u201cAdam, I really don\u2019t want you going back in there, but since this is your plan, you should probably get moving. Joe\u2019s waiting for you, and I\u2019d like to see both of you safely out of there as soon as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam grimaced as he straightened, and stretched as much as his sore sides would allow. \u201cYou\u2019re right, Pa. I should get going.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben touched his arm. \u201cDon\u2019t think I didn\u2019t notice that look. I\u2019ll go get Joe while you stay here. I think you\u2019ve done enough for today.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m fine,\u201d he replied tersely. \u201cSorry,\u201d he added quickly as his father\u2019s eye rounded in surprise. \u201cI\u2019m a little prickly, but I do want to play this hand out.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Adam repeated his earlier route, coming to stand with his back to the bar. This time he waited for her to look up, then saluted Margot and began walking toward her table before veering off toward the door.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe ran interference again as she tried to follow his brother. Taking her arm as she turned to leave the table he said lustily, \u201cYou know, I\u2019ve been very patient with you tonight, darlin\u2019, and I\u2019m giving you one last chance.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her voice pitched high enough to alert every dog in Carson, she hollered. \u201cWhat is it with you! You\u2019ve been in my way all night, and here you are again. Get this straight, I have no intention of joining you for\u00a0anything\u00a0<\/em>tonight, so stay away from me or I\u2019ll have you thrown out of here.\u201d Her parting, \u201cAnd that\u2019s a promise,\u201d was swallowed up by the crowd as she moved around him and hurried toward the door.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The results of her search were the same as before and she returned to the smoke filled room where she walked into Joe\u2026again.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This time he raised his hands in surrender and offered, \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong with you, lady? You look like you\u2019ve seen a ghost.\u201d The comment netted him a hard punch in the gut as she walked past him on her way to see Tiny. The lady and the giant were soon headed out the back while Joe exited the front doors to let the others know that the sparks were about to fly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The three Cartwrights and Sheriff Michaels made their way quietly down the alley toward the rear of the saloon where they could already hear Margot as she chastised Tiny.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI thought you killed Adam Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The big man\u2019s voice sounded apologetic. \u201cI sure did, Margot. I did just like you said I should…made it look like someone was tryin\u2019 to rob him.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her pitch rose. \u201cWell if that\u2019s so, then why\u2019s he walking around in the saloon tonight, taunting me?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHe was in our saloon? I didn\u2019t see him.\u201d He paused, considering whether to give his opinion\u2014then foolishly added, \u201cAnd I could see the whole room from where I was standin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The four men listening in the shadows didn\u2019t have to see what was going on to know that Tiny was cowering. His voice sounded slightly muffled, like a man who was turning his head into his shoulder.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did you mean by that?\u201d Her words echoed like a slap. \u201cAre you implying that I\u2019m crazy\u2026that he wasn\u2019t here\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNothin\u2019 like that, Margot. It\u2019s just\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cJust what?\u201d She demanded.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just that when you get upset, you\u2026well you get to thinking all sorts of things. I saw that player giving you a hard time at the table\u2014even heard when he told you to go away\u2014and maybe\u2026being upset and all\u2026all\u2019s you seen was someone that looked like Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Margot\u2019s voice was deadly. \u201cListen here, you simpleton, I saw what I saw. Adam Cartwright was here tonight.\u201d She paused and finally asked, \u201cYou made sure he was dead, didn\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI laid him out with one punch and then kicked him until he didn\u2019t move no more and I didn\u2019t see him breathin\u2019, but\u2026\u201d Tiny knew he\u2019d said too much even as the \u201cbut\u201d left his mouth.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cBut?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI had to duck out the window when Miss Monica knocked at his door and called out to him.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSo am I hearing you right? You\u00a0don\u2019t know<\/em>\u00a0that he was actually dead?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI heard Miss Monica scream out that he was dead after she went into the room, so I figgered it was so.\u201d He scuffed the dirt with his boot, the cloud of dust making its way into the moon-lit alley where the others watched. \u201cI think there\u2019s just a guy in there that looks like Cartwright and it\u2019s edgin\u2019 you some.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam and Joe ducked deeper into the shelter of the barrels they were hiding behind as Margot paced along the wall of the building\u2014stopping only feet from them\u2014before turning back.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cPlease don\u2019t be mad with me, Margot. You know I cain\u2019t stand it when you\u2019s mad at me. I did just like you wanted me to. I always done just like you asked me to.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAlways, Tiny? You say you always do what I tell you to? If that\u2019s so, then why is that worthless little coward, Jake Reed still walking this earth? His grandparents are still alive too. Why is that Tiny?\u201d Her voice was a near screech as she asked again, \u201cWhy is that, Tiny?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He scuffed the dirt again. \u201cI went out there last night like you asked me to and looked around, but there was no way to do what I was gonna do. That old man was sitting watch on his porch with a shotgun. I even snuck closer, but they had all manner of wire and cans strung up around the outside of the house. I couldn\u2019t even get close to it without settin\u2019 somethin\u2019 off. I\u2019ll go back and do it tomorrow night, I promise.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou better do just that, Tiny, or I might have to tell the sheriff a about a lot of other things you like to do.\u201d Margot sounded cold as ice. \u201cAnd when you finish with the Reeds, we\u2019ll head to Virginia City.\u201d She stopped talking, trying to remember why she was upset to begin with. \u201cSo you\u2019re sure that Adam Cartwright is dead?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo man coulda lived through what I did to him.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Margot seemed in control again as she answered more gently, \u201cYou usually do real good with what I ask of you, Tiny. Maybe you\u2019re right. It is probably just someone who looks like him. You go on back inside and keep your eyes open and I\u2019ll give you a signal if I see the guy again.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

After the couple reentered the building, Ben rose stiffly from the crates he\u2019d been behind and walked toward the door as well. Turning back toward the others, he ordered, \u201cWell I\u2019ve heard enough; they admitted to trying to kill Adam and planning to get the Reeds. Let\u2019s go arrest them.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam caught up to him and steered him back toward the group. \u201cPa, we can\u2019t do that yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhy not!\u201d It was not a question.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sheriff Michaels explained. \u201cSheriff Andrews and your son have told me that Margot and Tiny are suspected of causing several deaths and I think that was confirmed in their conversation. That\u2019s what we want to get them for. If we take them into custody now, they\u2019ll only stand trial for assault.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben didn\u2019t give up. \u201cBut you heard Tiny say he\u2019d been out to the Reeds\u2019 place. They\u2019d be dead now if you hadn\u2019t warned them to be careful.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe only overheard a conversation, Mr. Cartwright.\u201d The Sheriff paused, \u201cAnd if we took them now, they would never admit to any of the other mayhem they\u2019ve created. They\u2019d walk free in a few months.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben leaned back against the building, resting his hands against his knees as his head drooped forward. \u201cI don\u2019t understand.\u201d He looked up, meeting Adam\u2019s gaze. \u201cWhat was this all about tonight if it wasn\u2019t to get evidence against her in your beating?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Leaning next to his father, Adam explained, \u201cIt was about that, Pa. Now we have real proof that she\u2019s behind Tiny\u2019s attacks and can use it against her. And because of what we did tonight, Margot has some doubts and her control slipped.\u201d Adam chuckled humorlessly. \u201cI know this seem odd, but it\u2019s the hand we\u2019ve been dealt, and we have to play it the best we can.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben shook his head as he sighed, \u201cA person used to commit a crime and they were arrested. But this seems more about catching people off guard, gaining leverage and having them turn against each other to get the truth. Is that about right?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The group began to walk from the alley as Adam concluded, \u201cThat\u2019s exactly right. This is complicated because Margot is complicated. What we did tonight was to get her thinking. She\u2019s been passing herself off as my widow around town, and after seeing me she must be thinking about being proven a liar and fool again. That can\u2019t sit well with her. If I\u2019m right, losing control of a situation haunts her more than any guilt over what she\u2019s done.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe questioned, \u201cSo where do we go from here?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam stopped and addressed his family and Sheriff Michaels, \u201cWe get some rest now. Sheriff Andrews will arrive from Placerville tomorrow, and the Reeds, Hoss and the Placerville ladies are coming to town. I think that then we\u2019ll have everyone we\u2019ll need to finally shake a little truth out of Margot Tanner.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Seven<\/strong><\/p>\n

The More We Work Together<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam was up at the crack of dawn making arrangements, but was back at the hotel in time to greet the Reeds\u2019 wagon as it pulled into town. He shook hands with Hoss, Cal and Jake, and gave each woman a quick peck on the cheek as he assisted them to the ground.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As the group headed into the hotel, Adam led Monica away to a private alcove and kissed her. \u201cI missed you,\u201d he breathed into her hair as their embrace continued.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Monica admitted, \u201cIt was nice being with the Reeds, but I was thinking of you so much that Addy had to elbow me several times to get me to pay attention.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sheriff Andrews had arrived on the stage from Placerville, and had joined the rest of the group in the Cartwrights\u2019 suite. Sheriff Michaels began things by recounting what they\u2019d found out about Margot\u2019s time in Carson City. As he finished, Adam told them about what they\u2019d heard in the alley the night before, including Monica\u2019s admission of ordering his death, and her threats toward the Reed family.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWow,\u201d Hoss murmured. \u201dY\u2019all found out a lot about her in a short time.\u201d He looked with respect at Cal. \u201cI\u2019m not surprised that Tiny might\u2019ve had a few problems getting to the Reed\u2019s place. You all should see the crazy fence Cal put around the house. I was wonderin\u2019 if it was necessary, but I\u2019m doggone glad now that he did it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam nodded. \u201cI\u2019m glad you took the sheriff\u2019s warning seriously too, Cal.\u201d He moved to the center of the room. \u201cGetting back to our purpose today\u2026 I suspect that even as good a liar as Margot is, not getting her way with the Reeds, and seeing me last night shook her confidence. Her plans have not gone right since she arrived in Virginia City, and she\u2019s built a house of cards that\u2019s in danger of collapsing.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cal questioned, \u201cSo how do we finally get this woman?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam became animated as he began to outline the plan he\u2019d proposed to Sheriff Michaels earlier. He concluded his remarks with the encouragement, \u201cThis will work. Margot\u2019s already a little off-balance, and we\u2019ll force her to confront all her lies and schemes at once, making it impossible for her to lie about everything. It will seem to her that her entire life has been laid out in front of her. I don\u2019t think even the best of liars can withstand that without faltering.\u201d He watched as knowing looks replaced the doubtful ones. \u201cAny questions?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sara was the first to say with conviction, \u201cWhat do I get to do?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt will be fairly simple. I\u2019ll go over how this might work best and help you rehearse what you want to say to her.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

There was no script they could follow since they didn\u2019t know for sure how the encounter with Margot would go. But they each went over what they would say to her if the opportunity arose. Ben volunteered to be the first to confront her when the timing seemed right. The rest would take their cue from him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As they finished up with those plans, Monica called for the group\u2019s attention.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI know that most of us met recently, but we have experiences and people that bind us together. And today we need to be thankful for a number of things. First off, Jake told the truth to the Cartwrights and stopped Margot in her tracks.\u201d She looked toward the boy. \u201cWe know that couldn\u2019t have been easy, Jake, and your mama would be so proud of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Monica waited while the others added their thoughts about Jake\u2019s bravery before continuing. \u201cAs a group we\u2019ve finally been able to understand what Margot is like. Adam asked questions, listened, and nearly paid the ultimate price for being our detective. I think I speak for all us when I say we\u2019re mighty glad he\u2019s still alive and hopefully his plan today will put an ending to this nightmare.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cal spoke next. \u201cBefore we head out to do this, I\u2019d like to tell you of a few plans we made yesterday. Our farm isn\u2019t doing well and we only stayed there, hoping that Missy would come home one day. But now that we know the truth, we\u2019ll be moving on. Jake misses his friends, and Monica has work for both Sara and me, so we\u2019ll head on over to Placerville when this is finished. Addy is moving to the hotel and will let us stay at her house so Jake feels at home. We\u2019ll buy it from her once we get our bearings again.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s interestin\u2019 how good things can work out of really bad circumstances, \u201d Hoss opined. \u201cSeems like Margot did a lot of damage and yet good people can always find a way to stick together.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam broke into the silence that had followed Hoss\u2019s statement to ask that the group move to the private dining room he\u2019d reserved for lunch.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Once the meal was finished, the two sheriffs left to take positions watching the front and rear of the boarding house where Margot lived. Their job was to make sure that she\u2019d comply with the summons she was about to receive.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam made sure that everyone was ready to go, and then sent the hotel messenger to the boarding house with the note he\u2019d penned earlier.<\/p>\n

It read:<\/p>\n

Miss Tanner\u2026or perhaps I should write, \u2018Mrs. Cartwright,\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 You will report to the Carson City Hotel as soon as possible. Tell the desk clerk that you\u2019re here to see a man about a horse and he will bring you to me. This meeting is not optional. You are being watched, so don\u2019t try to run or enlist Tiny\u2019s help before coming.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Don\u2019t delay. We have much to discuss.<\/em><\/p>\n

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

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

The residents of the boarding house were abuzz.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Marvelle entered the parlor in the midst of the ado and was finally able to shush the other enough to ask, \u201cWhat are you all so worked up about?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A petite, dark-haired young woman named Luanne spoke up. \u201cSomeone from the hotel showed up about ten minutes ago with a note for Miss Margot.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you think was in the note?\u201d Marvelle asked<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t have to \u2018think,\u2019 we know.\u201d Luanne held up the piece of paper Margot had dropped in her haste. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t say who it\u2019s from, but demands her presence at the hotel. She sure got skittish after she read it. I think Margot \u2018whoever-she-is\u2019 was purely scared out of her wits. You should have seen her hustle to get ready and leave!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe know who it\u2019s from,\u201d Marvel snorted, and then added with a grin, \u201cI sure would like to see those Cartwright men in action. It seems like a lovely day for a walk so I might just take a stroll to the hotel for some tea.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Within minutes, five young ladies were on their way to the hotel in hopes of seeing what was left of their least-favorite border after the Cartwrights got through with her.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Eight<\/strong><\/p>\n

When a Cunningly Brilliant Plan Goes Awry<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoping to keep the look of a working dining room intact, Adam asked that the staff leave the dishes in place and remain in the kitchen after lunch until he sent word for them to come out. He was grateful to see how calm everyone in this odd little group seemed to be. In fact there seemed to be no signs of nervousness as the groups at the tables engaged in conversation.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam was seated next to Addy, and he appreciated that she didn\u2019t try to engage him in conversation. She\u2019d told him at their first meeting that she\u2019d become an expert at paying attention to what went on around her and he assumed that she was doing that now, just as he was. But as he checked the clock again she gave him a nudge.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Addy leaned across the table. \u201cMonica\u2026\u201d She waited for the young woman to look at her. \u201cI think we better be very careful of our facial expressions from now on.\u201d When Monica\u2019s brows formed a distinct V indicating she had no idea what Addy was talking about, the old woman laughed. \u201cI think Adam\u2019s vision has cleared. I\u2019ve noticed him checking the time over there,\u201d she pointed at a grandfather clock standing across the room from their table. \u201cA couple days ago, he wouldn\u2019t have even seen that clock, but I bet now he can even see the Seth Thomas name on the case.\u201d Looking toward Adam, she asked, \u201cAm I right, dear?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

His affirmative nod brought a happy yelp from Monica, but there was no time to get any details as Sheriff Andrews entered the room with news that Margot was on her way.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam moved to sit alone at the middle table while the rest of the players made sure their backs were toward the entrance and center of the room, and continued talking quietly to provide a seemingly normal ambiance.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A few minutes later, the desk clerk escorted a pale, disheveled looking Margot Tanner to Adam\u2019s table.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She sat while removing the hat that was sliding from her head, and issued an accusatory, \u201cSo it was you playing games with me last night.\u201d Her anger eased as she calmed herself with a deep breath and flashed a solicitous smile, \u201cI heard that you were killed in a robbery attempt in Placerville, so you can imagine my shock at seeing you here. I was so distraught that I convinced myself it was just someone who looked like you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s half-smile resembled a cat that has just seen a mouse sniff the bait in a trap. \u201cI was just having a little fun, Margot. But then again, maybe I should have insisted on my privileges as your\u00a0husband<\/em>.\u201d He let that float for a moment. \u201cYou can imagine my surprise when the bank president here in town informed me of my recent marriage\u2026and death.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She remained stolid as he continued. \u201cGetting married, especially to you, is something I think I\u2019d remember.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Margot drew herself up straighter in the chair and stuck her chin out defiantly. \u201cAfter I\u2019d heard that you\u2019d died, I thought back to what you\u2019d said back in Virginia City about being willing to help me if I\u2019d just asked instead of trying to get money from your pa. So I assumed you wouldn\u2019t mind if I\u2019d benefit a little from your death.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHow fortunate that my death could work out so well for you,\u201d Adam smirked, \u201cBut I suppose it\u00a0would<\/em>\u00a0have been\u2026criminal\u2026for you to allow such an opportunity to go to waste. How were you going to prove our \u2018marriage\u2019\u2026a forged certificate?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She reached for his hand as she tipped her head coyly. \u201cDon\u2019t be mad, darling. I think there\u2019s probably a way that we can work this out without any harm to you\u2026or me.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam pointed toward the doorway where Sheriff Michaels now stood guard. \u201cI\u2019m afraid there\u2019s got to be some harm to you\u2026darling<\/em>. Consider it your down payment for all the lies you\u2019ve told and the lives you\u2019ve ruined.\u201d He made a tsking sound as he shook his head. \u201cThe sheriff over there has a nice suite all prepared for you at the jail. He\u2019s got you dead-to-rights for falsifying information to the bank and stores here in Carson, and he was with me last night when we heard you ask Tiny if he was certain he killed me\u2026at your request. So you\u2019re going to face prosecution for two crimes at a minimum.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Margot rose as her eyes darted around the room looking for a way out. Her jaw sagged as she saw the only other exit being guarded by Sheriff Andrews. She hissed, \u201cWhat ishe\u00a0<\/em>doing here?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam remained smooth and in control. \u201cSeems you left a lot of questions behind in Placerville,\u00a0darling<\/em>, and since you\u2019re already going to be in custody, Andy came over to see if he could get a few answers.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Margot\u2019s voice became ragged as she fought to control her panic. \u201cWhat are you talking about? I admit I lied about being your wife, but I was desperate.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben saw his opportunity. He stood and turned toward her as he said, \u201cI\u2019ve heard that excuse before. Isn\u2019t that the same reason you gave Adam for trying to extort money from me?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her eyes were wild, yet she didn\u2019t back down. \u201cYou deserved a little trouble for all the pain you put me through. Adam would have married me twelve years ago if it hadn\u2019t been for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He laughed loudly. \u201cThe truth is I\u2019d have known if my son had ever wanted to marry you\u2026and he didn\u2019t\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Margot\u2019s chortled mockingly, \u201cI bet you didn\u2019t think he was telling you the truth the day I brought Jake out there. You stood there like a stuck pig wondering how to fix the mess your boy had made!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cFor a moment I did wonder if Adam had a son. But only because I couldn\u2019t believe that anyone would use a child to line their own pockets. You asked Jake to lie for you too, telling him it was for his own good\u2014that he had to do it so his grandparents would take him in. What kind of person would do that?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cal and Sara rose next as Cal asked. \u201cAnd what kind of person would lie to keep a family apart? Why did you tell our daughter that we wouldn\u2019t want her once she had Jake? You took away twelve years of our lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sara looked straight at Margot as she asked, \u201cDid you kill our daughter? It seems you had no problem telling someone to kill Mr. Cartwright, so did you do the same thing to Missy when she found out that you\u2019d been lying to her all those years?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Margot scanned the room, now seeing more familiar faces staring back at her. \u201cWell isn\u2019t this special. All my friends assembled to watch me go to jail.\u201d She shouted, \u201cYou\u2019re all crazy!\u201d then sat, leaning forward on the table to shield her face in her hands.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Jake spoke next. He\u2019d been told that he didn\u2019t have to say anything or even come if he didn\u2019t want to. But he\u2019d assured them that he needed to be there. \u201cAuntie Margot, what did you do to my father? My grandma and grandpa say I can\u2019t hate anyone, but I think I do hate you. You took away my mother and my father and I\u2019ll never understand why.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She lifted her head as she spoke sweetly to him. \u201cYou just don\u2019t understand Jake. Your ma and pa were too dumb to know what was good for them and everything would have been fine if your ma had just listened to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss caught the youngster as he rushed toward Margot, flailing at her with his fists. Sara helped him take Jake from the room as Monica and Addy came over to Adam\u2019s table.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Addy was the next to speak. \u201cAnd what about the men that wanted to marry Missy even before Jake\u2019s pa came back into her life? Were they too stupid to know what was best?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you babbling about you old crone?\u201d With Jake gone, Margot regained her indignation.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd how about Marcus?\u201d Monica questioned. \u201cWas he just another person who got in your way? I know it was you who sent the note and arranged his fall at the mine. Once we all started talking about the many deaths that happened during the years you were in Placerville, we began to notice that they all traced back to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re all crazy!\u201d she screamed again as she passed from being enraged to feeling trapped again. She played the only card she thought was left; she turned to Adam. Moving around the table to him, she knelt, grasping his legs as she looked up and cried, \u201cDo something, Adam! These people are telling horrible lies about me! I know you love me. You can stop this and send them away.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam stood as he pulled her to her feet. \u201cSend them away, Margot? \u201cWhy I\u2019m the one who invited them here. Sending them away would be rude and ruin our little reunion.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She was undaunted and continued professing her love while trying to embrace him as Hoss led Tiny into the room.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The same messenger who\u2019d taken the note to the boarding house had found Tiny and told him that Margot needed his help.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Once inside, Sheriff Michaels moved to Tiny\u2019s side and said, \u201cWe\u2019ve just been asking your friend, Margot, about some of the untimely deaths that occurred in Placerville while the two of you lived there. Might there be something you\u2019d like to say about that?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tiny didn\u2019t answer the sheriff. He could only see Margot scrabbling at Adam while professing her love. \u00a0It took him five strides to reach them. Yanking Margot away from Adam, he cried out, \u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tears were streaming down his face as he took her shoulders and stared directly at her. \u201cYou love me, not him, Margot. Tell him that! I always done what you told me to because you said you loved me. I killed them three men for you because you said they was hurting you and Missy; I burned down your folks house when you said they was gonna take you away from me. I even went to Arizona to get that Seeley guy when you said he was making trouble for you. I did everthin\u2019 you ever asked me all those years because I thought you loved\u00a0me<\/em>.\u201d His voice howled like an animal. \u201cAnd now I find you here makin\u2019 love to this weaklin\u2019 you said was gonna get us both arrested if I didn\u2019t kill him. He never done nothin\u2019 for you.\u201d He let Margot go as his head drooped. His final thought was voiced softly, in defeat. \u00a0\u201cMaybe that Marcus fella was right. He said you were the craziest loon he ever did have the misfortune to come upon\u2026just before I shoved him off the cliff.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Those in the room seemed paralyzed by hearing the truth they\u2019d all suspected. They each were faced with the pure evil of a person who indiscriminately rid herself of anyone she didn\u2019t like. It had been so easy; all she had to do was lie to a sad, lonely man like Tiny. Stuck in this trance-like state, no one expected what happened next, least of all, Adam.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When the big man looked up again, he stepped forward and grabbed Adam\u2019s neck, lifting him into the air like a rag doll. Tiny screamed, \u201cWhy didn\u2019t you just stay dead!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sheriff Andrews cut through the man\u2019s anguish, advising sternly, \u201cLet Mr. Cartwright go, Tiny.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tiny never took his eyes off Adam as he cried out, \u201cAll of you stay back or I\u2019ll snap his neck like a branch!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam tried to free himself by kicking and pulling at the strong hands, but the compression of his trachea took its toll in seconds, leaving him limp in Tiny\u2019s grasp, barely able to breathe.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Cartwrights had drawn their pistols and were moving in to help, but stopped short with Tiny\u2019s warning.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

From behind him, Sheriff Michaels warned, \u201cI\u2019ve got my gun pointed at your back, Tiny. Put the man down or I\u2019ll shoot.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Desperate to find a way to save his son, Ben looked to Margot. \u201cFor heaven\u2019s sake, tell Tiny that he means something to you.\u201d He breathed easier as she touched the big man\u2019s shoulder; his hope died with her words.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou always were a fool, Tiny. You can\u2019t hold a candle to Adam. He\u2019s handsome, rich and smart. How would you ever think I\u2019d choose you over him? Go back to sweeping floors in the saloon where you belong.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With an eerie howl, Tiny hoisted Adam even higher off the ground and shrieked, \u201cI\u2019m gonna kill him good this time, Margot. Once he\u2019s dead you won\u2019t never think about him.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A bullet exploded from Sheriff Michael\u2019s gun, ripping into Tiny\u2019s back with deadly accuracy. With his last strength, Tiny pulled Adam closer for leverage and threw him across the room.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sheriff Michaels moved in to handcuff Margot as Tiny fell.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Kneeling over the dying man, Sheriff Andrews asked, \u201cDid you kill Missy too, Tiny?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tears were still running down Tiny\u2019s cheeks as he shook his head no. \u201cI couldn\u2019t kill her. She was good. Margot told me she fixed the hitch so\u2019s it would come apart, then laughed when she told me how the wagon rolled onto Missy. Said she only wanted to scare her, but it weren\u2019t no skin off her nose to have her dead neither.\u201d A great gush of air seemed to deflate him as he exhaled his last breath.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Unfazed by the death, Margot spat at the sheriff, \u201cYou don\u2019t believe a word he said, do you? The man was an idiot.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sheriff Michaels turned his prisoner and pointed to the dead man on the floor. \u201cSeems like the idiot was smart enough to give us the information we\u2019ll need to let you join him real soon. They don\u2019t usually hang women, but in this case, I think there might be an exception.\u201d He shoved her roughly toward the door.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Margot passed the women she\u2019d lived with in the boarding house as the sheriff led her by her handcuffs through the lobby.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Marvelle couldn\u2019t resist the urge to call out, \u201cThose are some mighty fine bracelets Margot. Did you buy those with your inheritance?\u201d The prisoner sent her a contemptuous look, prompting Marvelle to add, \u201cWhere should we send your things, your highness? Perhaps the Gray Bar Hotel?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

At first glance Ben had thought that Tiny had made good on his promise, and had snapped his son\u2019s neck as he\u2019d thrown him. He\u2019d run to Adam during the deathbed confession and found him on the floor with his head resting at an odd angle. Relief flooded over him as Adam began to cough and rub at his neck.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHow you doing, son?\u201d He asked as he helped him to sit up.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The movement made Adam gasp as he reached for his side \u201cGive me your neckerchief, Pa.\u201d When Ben continued to stare without acting, he added, \u201cHurry\u2026please.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s going on?\u201d Ben asked as he untied the fabric and handed it over.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll tell you in a minute. Right now, ask Hoss and Joe to give me a hand while you send Cal and the ladies back to the room.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben didn\u2019t waste time questioning further. He sent his other two sons to Adam while he convinced Cal to leave. It wasn\u2019t as easy with Monica and Addy.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll go as soon as I talk to Adam.\u201d Monica stared at Ben, daring him to challenge her.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou might as well let her go, Mr. Cartwright. She\u2019s not easily discouraged.\u201d Addy gave Ben a look of understanding. \u201cI promise we\u2019ll be brief.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He looked over, noting that his eldest was now sitting at a table, and allowed the women go to him. \u201cKeep it short,\u201d he ordered. He took Monica\u2019s arm gently as she passed him, holding her for a moment to add, \u201cPlease respect my wishes on this.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Walking toward the table with her, Ben\u2019s fatherly concern began to send him warning signals. He could see that Adam had beads of perspiration forming on his forehead and was leaning hard against the table top. Others might not note the difference between Adam\u2019s predisposition to lean, and when his lean indicated that he was in trouble\u2014but Ben did. There was no doubt which this was.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Monica sat at the table and asked, \u201cDid Tiny hurt you badly?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He answered truthfully, \u201cI think he stretched my neck a little. I might even be an inch or two taller now, but he\u00a0<\/em>didn\u2019t hurt me.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIs there anything you\u2019d like us to do, Adam? Your father says we should go upstairs to see Sara, but I\u2019m more worried about you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want you two fussing over me.\u201d He smiled at Monica and covered her hands with his. \u201cI need to talk to the sheriff while we wait for the undertaker. In spite of what Tiny did, my family will make sure that he\u2019s taken care of properly. He never stood a chance against Margot.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Addy eased up behind Monica. \u201cIt\u2019s time we leave these men to their duties, young lady. I\u2019m sure Cal will forget much of what happened and we owe it to Sara to make sure she hears all the details.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Addressing Adam, Addy cautioned, \u201cDon\u2019t overdo it. I doubt any of us can believe what we did today thanks to you and your cunning plan, and we don\u2019t want you dying on us now.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam nodded. \u201cYou two made sure I got the information I needed, and then kept me alive long enough to figure out what to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSpeaking for me, it was my pleasure to give you a hand. I\u2019d suspect Monica agrees.\u201d Addy noted that Adam smiled broadly as she expressed this opinion. But\u00a0his smile faded rapidly, and she began to worry. She wasn’t sure exactly what to call the color of Adam’s normal skin tone, but the distinctive gray it\u00a0appeared now was not \u201cnormal.\u201d Even the smile had briefly become a grimace as he fought to control his features.\u00a0 Her instincts flashed; she had a pretty good idea what was going on, but respected his desire for privacy. \u201cCome on, Monica, we\u2019ll get the Reeds and head out to finish packing. That way when Adam is done here, his room will be cleared and he\u2019ll be able to rest. He needs that more than anything else right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben stood protectively near his son. \u201cWhen are you planning to leave for Placerville?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Monica continued looking at Adam as she replied, \u201cThere\u2019s a stage west tomorrow afternoon. Addy, Sara and I will take that home while Jake and Cal bring the wagon with their things.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Addy continued, \u201cCal says it\u2019ll take a few days to get there with the load they\u2019ll be hauling. With us going on ahead we\u2019ll start to get things ready on our end.\u201d She touched Monica. \u201cLet\u2019s go, dear.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Monica looked up at Addy and back to Adam, and sighed as she rose.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam brought her hands to his lips before releasing them. \u201cI never got the chance to compliment you on hatching a cunning plan of your own. I\u2019m glad that Jake will have all of you around him.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Addy tugged Monica toward the door, as she bade goodbye to the rest of the Cartwrights.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

His forced smile continued until the door swung shut behind them. Only then did Adam allow himself to collapse onto the tabletop\u2014unconscious.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss moved into action, pulling his brother from the table as he wrapped him in the cloth. \u201cWhere\u2019s the nearest doctor?\u201d he demanded loudly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

One of the hotel staff spoke up. \u201cGo out the back door and turn right. Take the stairs up at the fourth building. Doctor Fredericks is old, but still a better doctor than most.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cradling Adam in his arms he took off at a run with his father and Little Joe close behind.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben caught up. \u201cWhat in blazes is going on?\u201d But the words died in his mouth as he saw the large red stain saturating the white tablecloth. \u201cWhat happened? He just told those women that Tiny didn\u2019t hurt him.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss tried to explain as he climbed the steps towards the doctor\u2019s office. \u201cTiny\u00a0didn\u2019t<\/em>\u00a0hurt him.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Still not comprehending, Ben asked, \u201cWell he\u2019s obviously hurt! He should have been looked at twenty minutes ago instead of sitting there like nothing was wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

At the top of the stairway Hoss kicked the door open and rushed into the office. Flabbergasted looks from waiting patients followed him as he continued into the examination room. He laid his brother gently onto the narrow metal table after the doctor pointed to it saying, \u201cThere!\u201d Hoss leaned to Adam\u2019s ear, saying, \u201cYou\u2019re gonna be jest fine, big brother. I guarantee it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Little Joe took his father back to the waiting room after the doctor told everyone but Hoss to leave while he did an exam. \u201cCome on, Pa. I\u2019ll explain what happened while the doc takes a look.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben was reeling and held on to Joe\u2019s arm for a moment. Taking a deep breath, he regained his equilibrium, and said, \u201cYou better tell me something right now or I\u2019m going back in there.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMe and Hoss had a minute with Adam while we gave him a hand. He told us he wasn\u2019t hurt by the fall, but he thought he\u2019d been hit by the same bullet that killed Tiny. He even laughed about it, saying it probably just grazed him. He\u2019d already stuffed your neckerchief over it and didn\u2019t seem to be in much pain. We helped him sit up and sort of draped the tablecloth around him so no one would notice the little bit of blood on his shirt. He seemed fine at first but both Hoss and I noticed he was having trouble sitting up towards the end. We moved to help him but he gave us one of his looks and we backed away. I\u2019ll say this\u2026if Monica hadn\u2019t left when she did, we\u2019d have escorted her out.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shaking his head, Ben repeated his earlier question. \u201cSurely he realized that he was hurt more than he let on. Why wait?\u201d
\n\u201cYou already know the answer to that, Pa. Adam didn\u2019t want to draw any attention to himself; you would\u2019ve felt the same way. Everything went the way he hoped it would\u2014with one exception\u2014and you know how hard it is for him to admit that he didn\u2019t plan for every possibility. I think he wanted to hold on long enough to let the others leave without worry.\u201d He patted his father\u2019s back. \u201cDon\u2019t look so glum, Pa. He\u2019s a Cartwright and it takes more than a second-hand bullet to kill one of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose you\u2019re right, but that doesn\u2019t make me worry less.\u201d He thought a moment, deciding what needed to be done. \u201cJoe, I\u2019d like you to find both sheriffs and tell them what\u2019s happening\u2026but ask them not to say anything to the others.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After Joe was gone, he reentered the exam room. Doctor Fredericks looked up warily, but Ben forestalled him from speaking. \u201cDon\u2019t ask me to leave again, doctor. I\u2019m staying with my son.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The doctor continued looking over Adam\u2019s wound as a crooked smile briefly replaced his serious manner. \u201cI thought it was you, Mr. Cartwright. Is this gentleman with the bullet in his gut the same one I tended some years back after he was shot? 2<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben looked at the nameplate on the desk: Neil Fredericks, M.D. The memory of that hard time came crashing back. \u201cYes, he is.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam moaned as the physician inserted a needle-nosed clamp into the wound, and probed gently. \u00a0\u201cI see a lot of recent bruising on his chest and face. Was he severely beaten recently?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss supplied, \u201cYes, I think it happened about a week ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Doctor Fredericks laid his instrument down as he stood and faced Ben. \u201cHow did he end up in a situation like this?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben growled. \u201cI\u2019ll explain later.\u00a0 Now I just want you to tell me how bad it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not sure yet. I was hoping it was a simple gunshot, but can\u2019t feel the slug where I thought it would be. I\u2019ll have to open up the wound a bit to find it and repair the damage it may have caused.\u201d He placed a heavy pad over the oozing wound and asked Hoss to apply pressure. \u201cLet me talk to the patients out there and clear the office.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When they were alone, Hoss asked, \u201cHow does he know us, Pa? I don\u2019t never recall seeing him before.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDoctor Fredericks tended to Adam the time he nearly bled to death after being shot by that trail hand. He usually came to the house when you were in school.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben didn\u2019t hear Hoss\u2019s answer. His mind drifted back to when Adam stood in his first gunfight at age 17\u2026and lost. He still didn\u2019t understand how the boy survived the massive blood loss from a nicked artery, yet he stopped questioning it long ago and accepted the miracle.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He\u2019d brought Doctor Fredericks over from Carson City when it\u2019d happened. There had been no doctors in Virginia City back then and Doctor Fredericks had agreed to make the trip to the Ponderosa. He hadn\u2019t been able to do much even though he\u2019d returned several times. The wound had healed in days, but Adam had remained \u201casleep\u201d for weeks with no noticeable signs of improvement. Doctor Fredericks had been sure that he would never wake up, and had gone so far as to suggest that Ben find a good hospital where Adam could be well cared for until he died. However, he\u2019d eventually confided to Ben that he\u2019d been won over by the Cartwright\u2019s positive attitude. He\u2019d said that even if Adam never woke up, his family was doing everything they could to make his life as full as it could be.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And one day, Adam had awoken. He had a few memory problems at first, but he\u2019d compensated by reading and studying harder than ever. Before long he was not only better, but far beyond where\u2019d he been before the incident, and had left for school on schedule. He\u2019d never discussed it with his son, but Ben was sure that Adam had put those dark days behind him and had never looked back.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben had not forgotten. In fact he\u2019d been remembering the incident when he\u2019d been staring at Adam in the restaurant the other night. Life could be taken away so easily. Ben knew that and although he\u2019d lived through much loss, he wondered if he could live through the loss of one of his children. That thought had always invaded his heart and dreams any time one of his boys were seriously hurt.<\/p>\n

And now\u2026have my worst fears come true?<\/em>\u00a0Ben\u2019s heart raced as he saw his son lying there\u2014looking as he did all those years ago.\u00a0Will this be like last time? Will he linger in sleep again and maybe this time\u2026not wake up? Was his last recovery a deferment of death? And if so, is the payment due?\u00a0<\/em>The questions roiled in his mind as he waited for the doctor to return.\u00a0Why does Adam always pay so dearly for helping others and doing what\u2019s right? He lives by a different code than most men and charges into the fray without thought to his own safety. Why\u2026?<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The answer came in blinding clarity.\u00a0This is who he\u2019s always been and he\u2019ll always be this way. He will never seek glory for his actions, nor walk away from a challenge because it\u2019s too hard or might require everything he has. It\u2019s how I raised him\u2026he is my son and it is our way.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Knowing that he had to turn his son\u2019s care over to a stranger again didn\u2019t alleviate his anxiety, but he stemmed the fear by turning to the one who might have a say in whether Adam would live or die. Looking up, he prayed for God\u2019s mercy, care\u2026and another miracle.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Doctor Fredericks reentered the room and took charge. \u201cI\u2019ve sent for my wife to assist in the surgical procedure; she\u2019ll be here shortly.\u201d He looked directly at Ben. \u201cI know you think you want to stay here for this, but I know how difficult it is for a parent to watch their child in pain so I\u2019ll ask that you wait in the outer room.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI won\u2019t leave him alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHe won\u2019t be alone. I need your other son\u2019s help.\u201d He looked to the big man across the table; \u201cYour name is Hoss, correct?\u201d He saw Hoss nod as he continued, \u201cI don\u2019t want to sedate Adam until I know where the bullet is located, and he\u2019s not going to like it much when I start digging.\u201d The doctor looked up as he heard Ben \u2018s sharp inhalation. He tipped his head in Ben\u2019s direction as he spoke to Hoss. \u201cSounds like your father disagrees with my plans.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t have the background to disagree, doctor. But I\u2019ve heard of new ways to mask the pain of such procedures. Doctor Martin, from Virginia City mentioned it. I think he called it anesthesia; he said it could revolutionize surgery.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Fredericks continued to cut Adam\u2019s shirt away without looking up. \u201cI know Doctor Martin quite well, and you may certainly review my treatment with him. You\u2019re probably referring to the use of ether or chloroform. I have both available, and while they have their purpose, the side effects are often severe. What I want to do is to make a shallow incision to open up the path the bullet took. Hopefully, that will let me find and remove it quickly. Adam will be in pain for a few minutes at most and I\u2019ll give him something to sedate him as soon as I\u2019m finished. He won\u2019t remember the pain. But if I can\u2019t find the slug easily or there\u2019s damage that I have to repair, I\u2019ll use the ether to make sure he\u2019s comfortable.\u201d He looked up at Ben. \u201cDoes that satisfy you?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben said sheepishly, \u201cI wasn\u2019t implying\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The doctor cut him off. \u201cYes, you were, Mr. Cartwright. I know our first experience together may have left some doubts, but back then there was little I could do for Adam. This time there is, and I promise that I will do the best I can for him.\u201d Not waiting for an answer, he turned to Hoss again. \u201cYour brother is unconscious, but he\u2019s still reacting to pain and you\u2019ll have to hold him still. Can you do that without passing out or throwing up?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss spoke adamantly, \u201cYessir, Won\u2019t say that I\u2019ll like it much, but I\u2019ll do whatever you need me to.\u201d He walked over to his father, \u201cPa, one of us should go over to the hotel and make sure them folks leave out to the Reeds\u2019 place before they get wind of this and show up here.\u201d When his father didn\u2019t reply, he added, \u201cYou\u2019re a better liar than I am, Pa; you should go.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s angry, \u201cWhat do you mean by that,\u201d made Hoss take a step back.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, Pa. That didn\u2019t come out as I intended. I know you don\u2019t lie, but you skirt around the truth better than I do, that\u2019s for certain. If them nice ladies ask me about Adam, I\u2019ll get to hemmin\u2019 and hawin\u2019 while my face turns red. They\u2019d know for certain that I wasn\u2019t telling the whole story and would pester me until I confessed everything. But you\u2019ll keep your poker face and assure them that they shouldn\u2019t worry\u2014all while escorting them out the door.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Ben entered the same door they\u2019d run out of no more than 30 minutes earlier and was surprised to find the dining room nearly restored to order. The floor planks were still wet from being scrubbed free of Tiny\u2019s blood, but otherwise, there was no evidence of the earlier turmoil.<\/p>\n

A familiar voice called to him from the group of people standing near the main entrance.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Pa! I was just telling the sheriffs why we left here so fast.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sheriff Michaels walked over at brisk pace. \u201cWhat\u2019s the word on Adam? Your son just told us what happened. I aimed for the chest to make sure Tiny would drop fast\u2026never even considered that slug wouldn\u2019t stay where I sent it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know you meant no harm.\u201d He shook the man\u2019s offered hand.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sheriff Andrews and Joe made their way over as well, hoping for news of Adam\u2019s condition.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben refocused on his mission. \u201cBefore I forget, let\u2019s make sure the Reeds have left before talking about this. I don\u2019t want them walking in on us and hearing something they shouldn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sheriff Andrews answered, \u201cNo need to worry about that, Mr. Cartwright. Addy had that group gathered and on their way in five minutes. And she made sure they didn\u2019t come back into this room before they left.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThey were gone by the time I got back, Pa, so I don\u2019t think there\u2019s any way they found out about Adam.\u201d Little Joe came to stand by his father. \u201cSo? They can\u2019t be done yet\u2026unless.\u201d He paled as he considered the option that might have allowed his father to leave.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThe doctor is waiting for his wife to arrive and then he\u2019ll operate. I just came over\u2026\u201d he smiled wryly. \u201cI think I\u2019m here because Hoss wanted me out of there.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019s mouth felt like it was stuffed with cotton covered in bone-meal, and he hadn\u2019t said a word since his father had left. He watched as Doctor Fredericks shaved the hair from Adam\u2019s abdomen, and obeyed as he was given a basin with soap and water and told to scrub around the wound. While he did that, the doctor lit a number of lamps surrounded by mirrored plates meant to reflect the light downward toward the surgical table.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The combination of the oozing blood, hot lamps and bright light had Hoss feeling woozy. He jumped when Doctor Fredericks came up behind him and touched his back.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re looking a little pale, son. Take a deep breath or two, bend your knees a couple times and then get back to washing. The cleaner his skin is, the less chance of infection. You promised me you could handle this and I\u2019m holding you to your word.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He mumbled, \u201cI\u2019ll be fine.\u201d Taking a couple of breaths cleared his head, and a thorough stretch eased the tight muscles as he went back to work.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The bell above the outer door rang, breaking the silence. \u201cThat must be my wife. I\u2019ll go let her know what\u2019s going on and we\u2019ll get ready. Keep washing until I get back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alone with his brother, Hoss said quietly, \u201cHey, Adam. Yer gonna owe me for this when you get better. I don\u2019t mean you gotta give me a bath or nothin\u2019 like that. I\u2019ll think\u2019a somethin\u2019 good when the time comes.\u201d He leaned in closer as his voice turned more serious. \u201cI don\u2019t think you\u2019re gonna like what\u2019s comin\u2019, but it\u2019s gotta be done. I\u2019ll be holdin\u2019 you down at first and you\u2019ll probably wonder why I\u2019m contributin\u2019 to yer pain instead of helpin\u2019 you. The doc says you might not remember anythin\u2019 and I\u2019m hopin\u2019 that\u2019s true. But in case you do, jest know that I\u2019d never do nothin\u2019 to hurt you on purpose. You can always pop me one in the jaw when this is over to make up for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The doctor and his wife were wearing white robes over their clothes when they entered the room. \u201cThis is my wife, Lynn,\u201d he said to Hoss. \u201cShe\u2019ll be assisting me with the surgery, but we\u2019ll need your muscle. I\u2019ve already warned you that this won\u2019t be easy. No matter how much you hurt for your brother or think you can help him, you must not reach into the area where we\u2019re working or try to stop us.\u201d Lynn poured alcohol over Dr. Frederick\u2019s hands as he asked Hoss, \u201cDo you understand?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss could only manage a nod as he carried the basin he\u2019d been using to the side table. Reclaiming his voice he said, \u201cTell me what to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam groaned loudly as Doctor Fredericks pressed around the wound to assess the bleeding. \u201cAre you ready, dear?\u201d he asked his wife.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAlmost there,\u201d she replied as she poured alcohol over the pan of instruments she\u2019d assembled and then washed her hands with it as well. \u201cI\u2019m ready.\u201d She handed her husband a scalpel.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He looked at Hoss. \u201cI want you to hold your brother\u2019s legs and lower body now. Chances are he\u2019s going to buck when I do this first incision and I\u2019ll do more damage than good if you don\u2019t hold him still.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s back arched against the first pass of the blade as he cried out in agony.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss kept his grip firm and turned away from what the doctor was doing. He wasn\u2019t sure whether to be relieved or more frightened a few minutes later when Doctor Fredericks told his wife to administer the ether.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI have to go deeper, Hoss. Your brother will rest easy now, so go sit while we do this.\u201d<\/p>\n

He left, keeping his head down. When he reached the outer room, he slumped into a chair and wiped away the tears.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Nine<\/strong><\/p>\n

Goin\u2019 Home<\/strong><\/p>\n

.<\/p>\n

Monica entered the hotel lobby and smiled as she made her way toward Ben and Little Joe. \u201cI can\u2019t believe we got everything done last night and headed out as early as we did today.\u201d She looked around hoping to see one of the two Cartwrights missing from the reunion. \u201cWhere\u2019s that oldest son of yours, Mr. Cartwright? Don\u2019t tell me he\u2019s still sleeping.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben had thought about what he\u2019d say to this question\u2014had even practiced a reply while sitting at Adam\u2019s bedside during the night. But when Monica asked, he hesitated. He willed himself to speak and finally gave a truthful answer. \u201cAdam was unable to stay at the hotel with us last night and won\u2019t make it back in time to say goodbye.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDid he leave a note for me?\u201d she asked hopefully.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben was beginning to sweat. \u201cAh\u2026he didn\u2019t have a chance to do that. He got carried away before he could take care of anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her brow creased, \u201cWhat do you mean, \u2018he got carried away?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The perspiration beaded on his upper lip. \u201cI just mean he left in a hurry.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou can say that again.\u201d Her smile had changed to a look of doubt tinged with suspicion. \u201cHe didn\u2019t mention needing to go anywhere. What happened after I left?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe just had to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben broke away and walked toward the hotel doors hoping to join the Reeds outside, but Monica took his arm preventing his escape.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIs Adam\u2019s absence about me? Did he send me away yesterday so there wouldn\u2019t be a scene when he left?\u201d Tears were welling in her eyes. \u201cYou know he didn\u2019t have to do that. He could have been honest.\u201d The tears flowed freely. \u201cI told Addy that this was all too much for him\u2026that he would come to realize how much he\u2019d risked by helping and now that it\u2019s over he\u2019d just want to forget about Margot Tanner\u2026and the rest of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He took her shoulders gently. \u201cThat isn\u2019t true. I\u2019m sure Adam will send you a note as soon as he can manage it. Until then, just believe that what I\u2019ve told you is the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She moved in close and whispered through her tears, \u201cI\u2019ll be fine in a minute. Please make this look like I\u2019m giving you a hug. I don\u2019t want Sara or Addy thinking something\u2019s wrong.\u201d After a minute, she took a deep breath and moved back a step. \u201cYou want me to believe what you told me, Mr. Cartwright, but all you said was that Adam left suddenly and he\u2019ll write when he can.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben smiled with relief, \u201cExactly.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Glancing toward the doorway, he could see that Joe had gone outside already and was talking with the Reeds. Whatever his son had said to them made Cal and Sara laugh and he took a moment to appreciate what Joe was doing. The boy was still young\u2014only 17\u2014but Ben had every reason to believe that Joe\u2019s easy way with people and good sense of humor would serve him well in life.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He turned back to Monica, \u201cYou\u2019re doing a wonderful thing helping the Reeds this way.\u201d Tipping her chin so that she was looking directly up at him, he told her, \u201cYou\u2019ll have to believe this until he can tell you himself: Adam has no regrets. My son has always taken on what the rest of the world might pass over. It\u2019s never easy for him, but it hasn\u2019t stopped him so far, nor will it in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAddy was right\u2026like she usually is.\u201d In response to Ben\u2019s puzzled look, she continued, \u201cAfter what happened to Adam in Placerville, I thought that we\u2019d pushed him into doing what none of us had the nerve or skill to do ourselves. And since I was the one making sure that people told him their stories, I felt largely responsible for Tiny\u2019s attack. But Addy told me that someone like Adam worked from his own sense of honor; that we could never\u00a0make<\/em>\u00a0him do anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben nodded. \u201cThat\u2019s Adam.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Addy came in from outside, \u201cIt\u2019s time to offer your goodbyes to Jake and Cal, Monica. They\u2019re anxious to get rolling.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben moved toward the door with the two women. \u201cI wish I could see you ladies off later, but I have unfinished business to attend to. Joe will escort you to lunch and make sure you get to the stage.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After sending Monica outside, Addy extended her hand to Ben. \u201cIt was a pleasure meeting you and your two younger sons, Mr. Cartwright. I\u2019m sorry that Hoss couldn\u2019t make it this morning. You\u2019ll extend my best to him, of course.\u201d She patted his hands as she confided, \u201cAnd I\u2019ll be praying for Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben asked, \u201cDo you know about Adam?\u201d She nodded as he asked, \u201cDid Joe let something slip?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo, he\u2019s as discreet as you are.\u201d She smiled as she saw Ben relax. \u201cI just saw the worry in your face yesterday when you sent us away. And I happened to be watching as that that bullet struck Tiny. From the look on Adam\u2019s face, I\u2019m assuming it hit him as well?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou are an observant woman, Addy.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t expect you to tell me everything, but might you at least send me off with an encouraging word about Adam\u2019s condition?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He kissed her hand.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cLike father, like son. Adam kissed my hand the first time we met. You\u2019ve taught him well.\u201d She paused as she closed her eyes and sighed. Looking at Ben she added, \u201cI should have known that the news isn\u2019t good, or he\u2019d be here, wouldn\u2019t he? And you still have that worried look. I\u2019ll let you go back to him.\u201d She stood on her toes to kiss his cheek.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s, \u201cPlease\u2026:\u201d was stilled by her hand across his lips.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry, Mr. Cartwright. Monica has enough to worry about right now; Adam\u2019s secret is safe with me\u2026at least for a time. I\u2019ll expect an update\u2014sooner than later\u2014or I\u2019ll show up on your doorstep.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

It seemed that Ben\u2019s worst fears were being realized as Adam remained unresponsive. Adding misery to uncertainty, there had been a violent reaction to the ether just as Doctor Fredericks had feared. The vomiting had been so severe that Adam had been in danger of tearing his incision.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry Ben\u201d the doctor had reassured him. \u201cI think the bullet ricocheted as it left the other man\u2014probably hit a rib\u2014angling upward into Adam. Fortunately that made it stay shallow enough that it didn\u2019t enter his intestinal cavity. However, there was a lot of damage along its path and there is much healing to do. So his continued rest is not a bad sign\u2026yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben wasn\u2019t reassured. He sent word to Paul Martin, asking him to make the trip over to check on Adam\u2019s condition and attend to him on the journey home\u2014hoping they could move him soon, even if he didn\u2019t awaken. The worried father hoped his son would recover more quickly in his own bed. Of course Paul had come immediately.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Doctor Fredericks welcomed Paul, and after the two had discussed the wound and the treatment, Paul had assured Ben that he wouldn\u2019t have done anything differently.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But within hours of that reassurance, Adam spiked a fever and both doctors began to look uneasy. His temperature continued to rise over the next few days, prompting the doctors to reopened and drain the incision. The wound and a large area around it were now fire-red and weepy. Adam was breathing rapidly and sweating; and except for the flushing on his cheeks and forehead brought on by the fever, he was ashen.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The two doctors spoke in hushed tones as they again changed the dressing on the infected wound.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSo what do you have to say now,\u201d Ben demanded after they\u2019d finished. \u201cDo you still think everything was done right?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Paul answered honestly. \u201cOf course you know that something\u2019s wrong, Ben. That doesn\u2019t mean that something was\u00a0done<\/em>\u00a0wrong. There are always variables that a doctor can\u2019t plan for.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSuch as?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThe fact that Adam wasn\u2019t fully recovered from an earlier beating, the amount of trauma from the gunshot, and perhaps even the fact that the bullet went\u2026\u201d Paul\u2019s voice faltered.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWent through another man first?\u201d Ben completed the thought. \u201cI\u2019ve thought of that many times. I don\u2019t know anything about medicine, but that fact makes me shiver.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss had been at his Adam\u2019s side since carrying him out of hotel. He\u2019d slept little, ate less, and looked weary. All the doctoring and now the arguing going on left him edgy and he suspected that it might be having the same effect on his brother. He interrupted the sniping between Doctor Martin and his father, \u201cY\u2019all need to get outta here for a while and let Adam rest. How can he get better with all the pokin\u2019 and proddin\u2019 you been doing to him. And he sure don\u2019t need to listen to you arguin\u2019.\u201d He stood and pointed to the door. \u201cNow scat\u2026all of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Paul gave Hoss a salute as he and Doctor Fredericks walked past him toward the door. \u201cI think you\u2019re right, Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When Ben remained behind, Hoss pointed again, \u201cYou need to go too, Pa. Send a telegram home for me. That mare should be \u2018bout ready to foal, and I want Joe to keep an eye on her,<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben had sent Joe to Virginia City with the message for Doctor Martin and then had asked him to go to the ranch and make sure things were getting done. The plan had been that he and Hoss would come home with Adam as soon as Paul gave his blessing to the move. That plan had changed as Adam\u2019s condition had deteriorated.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right, Hoss. I have a couple things to tell Little Joe too.\u201d He laid a hand atop his son\u2019s. \u201cBut when I get back, I\u2019m sending you out of here for a while. You look terrible, you know.\u201d He smiled then. \u201cYou\u2019ve been a rock throughout this. I appreciate it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss followed his father to the door and looked out to make sure that everyone was gone\u2014then closed and locked it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In the peaceful quiet of the cleared room, Hoss dropped into the chair and let his thoughts drift back over the last few days. He realized that he had spoken very little to his father, and even less to Adam. Ben had either seemed lost in private misery or had his nose buried in the Bible; his lips moving silently as he read the promise of God\u2019s faithfulness. Hoss supposed that this was what kept his father hopeful.\u00a0 But he kept thinking back to the days when Adam had \u201cslept\u201d years before. They had all taken turns at his side back then, but instead of reading to themselves, they\u2019d read aloud so Adam could hear. They\u2019d also talked to Adam\u2014had told him of every plan and funny and ordinary thing that had happened. He wondered why it seemed so different this time.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It was Hoss\u2019s sad conclusion that back then, they\u2019d treated Adam like he was going to live. This time it felt more like they didn\u2019t expect he would. He drew a deep breath and made a decision.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The room was stuffy and dark so he raised the shade and opened the window.\u00a0 He breathed deeply again as a breeze moved the curtains and cleared the stale air. Warm sunlight bathed Adam\u2019s pale face and Hoss caught his breath, sure that he saw a flicker of a smile turn his brother\u2019s lips.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWell you seem to like that,\u201d he chuckled. \u201cI bet you feel kind\u2019a like cat who done found a nice warm spot to stretch out.\u201d\u00a0 Hoss poured a fresh bowl of cool water from the ewer and wet a cloth to dab at the sweat on Adam\u2019s forehead and cheeks. \u201cYou seem to like that too. I never could figure out why they pile blankets on a man that\u2019s already too hot. When an animal is sweatin,\u2019 I brush it and cool it down instead of layerin\u2019 more on top of all that heat.\u201d He looked around, assuring himself that the door was still locked before continuing. \u201cHey Adam, I\u2019m gonna do something that might make you feel a whole lot better. Face it, right now I doubt I can make you feel much worse.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He laid back the heavy blankets. After wiping the rest of the perspiration away, he covered Adam with only the sheet and said, \u201cThere, you look cooler already.\u201d He wasn\u2019t a doctor, but Hoss knew that his brother felt better when he heard his breathing settle into a soft, easy rhythm. Pulling the chair next to the bed, he started to talk.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou been resting long enough now, brother. It\u2019s time you come out of it.\u201d He took another deep breath, suddenly realizing that he was doing a lot of sighing lately. Maybe it was because of the stuffiness, but maybe it was just his way of keeping from yelling\u2026or sobbing. \u201cIt ain\u2019t that I wanna be hard on ya or nothin\u2019 like that, but I think maybe you do hear what\u2019s goin\u2019 on around you. Doc Martin\u2019s upset and Pa\u2019s got his hackles up, and it ain\u2019t comin\u2019 to no good between them. I believe what the docs say about having done as much as they can for you. But you know Pa; he\u2019s always gonna think there\u2019s more to try. So he\u2019s gonna keep pushin\u2019 and they\u2019re gonna feel they gotta defend themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss stood and paced the room. \u201cI guess what I\u2019m tryin\u2019 to say is that\u00a0I<\/em>\u00a0don\u2019t think them doctors\u00a0can<\/em>\u00a0do no more. Now it\u2019s up to you. You gotta live: first for you\u2026but I want you here fer me. You gotta be at my side on my weddin\u2019 day when I find the gal I wanna marry, and keep bossing me so\u2019s I\u2019ll learn everythin\u2019 you do about the Ponderosa. \u00a0Joe needs you too, and I don\u2019t know what Pa will do if you don\u2019t get better.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He walked to the window and saw his father heading back up the alley toward the stairs. As he shut the casement a bit and covered Adam up with one of the blankets, he finished his thoughts. \u201cYou done real good with Margot, Adam\u2014figgered her out jest right. She won\u2019t be hurtin\u2019 no one, no more. But you can\u2019t let her get away with killin\u2019 you. I\u2019m not as smart as you in detectin\u2019 what\u2019s goin\u2019 on inside people\u2019s heads, but I know she wanted Tiny to kill you\u2014not jest in Placerville, but the other day too. When he was threatening to break yer neck, Pa asked her to say somethin\u2019 to soothe him so he\u2019d put you down. Instead she said something she knew would goad him into doing exactly what he was threatenin\u2019. She knew what you\u2019d done; that you\u2019d managed to catch her when no one else could\u2026and she wanted you dead real bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss unlocked and opened the door as he heard footsteps nearing the room, saying, \u201cHi, Pa,\u201d as his father strode inside.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben noticed the open widow, \u201cIt seems less stuffy in here. Good idea, son.\u201d He went to Adam\u2019s side. \u201cI think he looks better too.\u201d Giving Hoss a look of admiration, he asked. \u201cWhat\u2019d you do?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A raspy voice floated upward. \u201cHe got you out of here, opened the window and took some of those dang heavy blankets off me so I could breathe!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hoss and Ben looked down at the patient. Adam\u2019s eyes were glassy, but they were open, and a sly, lopsided grin tipped one side of his mouth.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cJust remember, Hoss. I owe you one hard slug in the jaw.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The younger brother laughed loudly. \u201cSo you heard that, did ya? I hope it kept you fightin\u2019 just so you could take yer shot. I promise\u2026my chin is yours, Adam\u2026just as soon as you can catch me.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ten<\/strong><\/p>\n

Justice Is Served\u2026Cold\u2026With a Side of Relief<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

With all that Margot Tanner had done in Placerville, it still wasn\u2019t easy to decide on the charges against her. She was extradited without problems back to California, but there remained the question of what to do with all the murders Tiny had confessed to doing at her request. Sheriff Andrews sent word to Sacramento describing what he was dealing with and a state attorney was dispatched to handle the prosecution.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

No one wanted the trial to turn into a circus, but that hope was dashed within a week.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sheriff Andrews had managed to keep the circumstances of Margot\u2019s arrest quiet in Placerville for a few days. Aside from people wondering at the goings on in the jail, there hadn\u2019t been a lot of gossip about Margot. Folks were more curious about the couple that was in town with Jake.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

However, a young reporter often greased the palm of the mailroom personnel at the capital and was tipped off to the contents of a strange telegram detailing the story of a woman accused of several murders in Placerville. He headed to the mining town and was rewarded with hearing some of the same sorts of stories told to Adam, this time embellished with questionable details designed to earn the folding money being handed out for \u201cinteresting\u201d information. The reporter sold his sensational story, and newspapers from California to New York ran articles about Margot, calling her relationship with Tiny, \u201cthe Beauty and the Beast.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sheriff Andrews\u2019 life became more difficult with each passing day. Since he was housing a woman in his jail, he had to put curtains over the windows and construct a makeshift privacy wall. He had to keep all his \u201cregular\u201d clientele locked up in a storage room at the mercantile next door and this necessitated hiring men to watch his off-site prisoners. After the story broke, he added even more men to guard the jail and keep peace in town.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As the stories about Margot spread and grew, those who took delight in the macabre began to arrive, hoping to get a bellyful of the odd goings-on. They were soon followed by those who took advantage of the frenzy. Itinerant pickpockets had a field day lifting items off the clueless folks on the street. And in the saloons, cardsharps picked pockets in their own way.<\/p>\n

Irvin Marks, the young State Attorney, knew he was up against a wall and worked day and night to figure out what best to do. There was little precedent since there were seldom cases where women were tried for murder\u2014and never a case like this. Marks sifted through the accusations against Margot to decide what course to take. Since Ned Seeley\u2019s death had occurred in Arizona, jurisdiction became an issue in that one, and the prosecutor and sheriff came to the conclusion that there were two solid cases against Margot that would likely bring a conviction and a long prison sentence. The first was the deathbed statement from Tiny saying that Margot had killed Missy. The second was the attempted murder of Adam. The admissions of guilt in both these situations were heard by reliable witnesses and were current enough that people would remember them.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Marks felt that if he could get a conviction against Margot for murdering Missy, then the state could turn over the other suspected murder cases to the federal prosecutors. It would be easier to connect a convicted murderer to conspiracy in the other deaths. Mark\u2019s biggest fear was that if he tried to do all of the murders at once and couldn\u2019t prove the conspiracy between Margot and Tiny, then the jury might not believe that Margot had killed Missy either.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The sheriff and prosecutor weren\u2019t sure whether to be scared out of their wits or relieved when they received word that the judge trying the case was scheduled to be in Placerville in three weeks and wanted the trial then. Andy realized it would be good for the town to have it over with as soon as possible, but the prosecutor feared he wouldn\u2019t have ample time to figure out how best to present his case.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The one thing that still bothered Marks was that Margot\u2019s sweet face and apparently sweet nature when she poured on her charm contradicted her ability to lie and manipulate situations. With the all-male jury, Marks felt she might easily sway them with a little flirtation. They\u2019d be putty in her hands as she professed her \u201cwoe is me\u2026how can these mean people lie about me,\u201d plea for pity.\u00a0 He knew that he\u2019d have to expose who she really was first\u2014making them understand what she was capable of doing\u2014before they would believe what she did.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

To that end, Addy was asked to speak to Margot\u2019s years in Placerville. She had observed the relationship between Missy and Margot and could tell the story of Missy\u2019s suitors, Ned Seeley\u2019s return, the visit from Margot\u2019s parents, and the tragedies that had followed each of these episodes. She could also testify to the escalating tensions before Missy died. All of this would be presented as fact alone, without any supposition about what Margot \u201cmight\u201d have done.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

They also planned to call Monica to testify to her relationship with Margot as an employee and of what happened between Marcus and Margot.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Thought was given to calling others from the town\u2014those who had been victims of Margot\u2019s milder schemes. Yet nothing they could say offered any evidence toward the charges the prosecution was leveling. Even with the convincing stories presented by Monica and Addy, a good defense lawyer could establish reasonable doubt by asking, \u201cDid you see Margot Tanner pull the pin on the wagon hitch?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The significant shortcoming in their case was that the only connection to any murder was the statement of an enraged lover who was shot while trying to kill the man he thought Margot loved more than him.<\/p>\n

In the end, their hopes hung squarely on Adam\u2019s testimony dispelling all doubts about Margot\u2019s innocence. He\u2019d been part of the fantasies that she\u2019d created and he had lived through what she did to those who displeased her. In essence, her \u201cattempt\u201d to murder Adam proved that she was capable of murdering Missy.<\/p>\n

When Sheriff Andrews heard from Carson City that Adam was not faring well, he informed Irvin Marks that his best witness might not make it to the stand. The sheriff and prosecutor told others that the case against Margot was a sure thing, but in private they worried that given the right set of circumstances, she could walk free.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sheriff Andrews had finally bolstered the prosecutor\u2019s sagging confidence by saying, \u201cDespite the odds that he won\u2019t make it, it\u2019s Adam Cartwright, so he\u2019ll be here.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Paul Martin respected Doctor Fredericks but was eager to get Adam back to the Ponderosa where he could keep an eye on him without worrying about stepping on another physician\u2019s toes. After Adam awoke, Paul waited until he was able to keep water and broth down before telling Ben to make arrangements for an enclosed wagon with a pallet.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Doctor Fredericks advised against traveling so soon, but knew it was fruitless to put up any resistance. There weren\u2019t many patients he\u2019d cared for that had as supportive a group hovering around him as Adam Cartwright had. He also trusted that Paul Martin wouldn\u2019t let anything happen to this particular patient. Fredericks had counted Adam out once before and had been surprised at his recovery. This time had proven a similar circumstance. The young man seemed to cross over the fires of hell to live, and it was clear that he\u2019d made the journey again.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The doctor spoke to Paul as he prepared for the trip. \u201cYou\u2019ve known the Cartwrights since you got to Virginia City, right?\u201d He saw Paul nod and continued, \u201cMy guess is that they use your services frequently?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYes, they do. They work hard and fight harder.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI assume that they\u2019re a well-respected family.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThey are, and I\u2019m one of their biggest supporters.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou know I took care of Adam before you moved to Virginia City. Tell me, did he make it to school back East?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Paul answered the best he could. \u201cI wasn\u2019t around back then, but I know he went to Boston and came back with a degree in engineering. He\u2019s done some remarkable things with his knowledge since getting back home.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Fredericks wrinkled his face as he asked, \u201cIf he\u2019s an engineer and a respected rancher, how did Adam end up in such dire circumstances again? Ben was going to tell me about it, but with all that went on, I never questioned him further\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAs I understand it, Adam was trying to find answers for several people who had been affected by a crazy woman\u2019s schemes. Ben and his sons are honorable men and they often get pulled into circumstances that other men might avoid. Adam is intelligent, intuitive and never backs down if he thinks there\u2019s been injustice. It\u2019s gotten him into trouble before and I\u2019m sure he\u2019ll be in it again.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Neil Fredericks shook Paul\u2019s hand as they stood at the door. \u201cI hope this family knows what a good doctor\u2026and friend they have in you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben and Hoss supported Adam as he made his way from the room he\u2019d been in for the last week.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, doctor,\u201d Ben offered sincerely.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re welcome, Mr. Cartwright. It\u2019s always an interesting experience dealing with your family.\u201d Turning his attention to Adam he added, \u201cStay out of the range of flying bullets, young man. I think there may be a limit to the number of times a doctor can patch you up.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam grinned. \u201cThey say that what doesn\u2019t kill you makes you stronger\u2026but others say that what doesn\u2019t kill you postpones the inevitable. I assure you that I\u2019m not anxious to continue proving either theory.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam was settled into his own bed for the first time in weeks. He\u2019d barely begun to relax when he heard his father roaring downstairs.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThis is insanity. How can they expect him to testify in two weeks?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cCalm down, Pa. Maybe we can do something about this so\u2019s Adam don\u2019t have to go so soon.\u201d Hoss\u2019s voice carried upstairs just as his father\u2019s had.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s door opened further and Little Joe strode in. \u201cI suppose you can hear all the whoop-de-do going on downstairs.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s Pa so upset about?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMargot\u2019s trial is coming up fast. Sheriff Andrews sent a telegram and once Pa gets over being indignant, he\u2019ll come up and go through it with you.\u201d He thought for a moment, \u201cThey sure didn\u2019t waste any time did they?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose it\u2019s all in the way the circuit judge\u2019s schedule runs. Sometimes you wait forever to get a hearing and sometimes they show up in a couple of days. I suspect that Andy will be glad to have it over.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think you\u2019ll be up to travelling in a week or so? You didn\u2019t look so good by the time we got you home today.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam glared at his brother. \u201cI\u2019ll remember this the next time you look like something a cat dragged in.\u201d He sniffed, \u201cI thought I did pretty well.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe laughed. \u201cMaybe you should look in the mirror before you say that.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The glare continued as he considered Joe\u2019s question. \u201cI\u2019ll go testify if I have to crawl to the witness stand.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The two brothers exchanged a grin as Joe opined, \u201cI think I\u2019d pay to see that.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Margot Tanner didn\u2019t have money to hire an attorney, but once the\u00a0Beauty and the Beast\u00a0<\/em>story broke in the papers, she had her pick of lawyers willing to defend her for the publicity it afforded. After receiving several telegrams, she chose someone based on what she considered was the most influential thing about him: his name. The attorney she chose was Blakemore Chesterfield.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She told Sheriff Andrews, \u201cAnyone with a high-falutin\u2019 name like that should be someone to reckon with.\u201d She imagined him being tall, with a fair face and a history of winning the toughest cases just on his personality and sterling tongue. With that name, he had to be wealthy\u2014from and old family back East, and she figured he had pedigree that would wow the hayseeds in Placerville.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Fortunately one thing Margot imagined about Blakemore Chesterfield proved true; he was a good lawyer with a record of victories in tough cases. But she couldn\u2019t believe her eyes when she first saw him. Blakemore was not the aristocrat she imagined. Instead, he was a short, balding man, about 50 years of age with a pocked complexion, large stomach, tiny, narrow-set eyes, and tendency to make pig-like snorting noises as he cleared his throat before he spoke.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Margot was not happy, but there was no time to engage another lawyer.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The trial was held in the back room of the hardware store with a makeshift judge\u2019s bench, a witness chair set on a long, flat shipping crate, and a table each for the prosecution and defense. Their table was no more than four feet across, but Margot sat as far away from Blakemore Chesterfield as possible. When he\u2019d lean over to make a comment, she\u2019d stiffen and bend away from him. She hated Blakemore Chesterfield and was even heard screaming at him in her cell\u2014calling him a swine and a weasel.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Yet she hated one person even more.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The first witnesses for the prosecution\u2014Abby and Monica\u2014were each on the stand for hours as their stories were laid out. As expected, Chesterfield\u2019s cross examination showed that neither of them had seen Margot kill anyone.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The final witnesses for the charges of murder were Sheriff Michaels and Sheriff Andrews. Both had heard Tiny\u2019s confession. Chesterfield could do little to negate the testimony of these lawmen, except to ask again if they had seen Margot tamper with the hitch. He also questioned whether Tiny might have lied as a way to hurt Margot for spurning him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The defendant\u2019s response to the testimony being given left the viewing public stymied. Margot didn\u2019t seem upset by having her life laid out in all its ugliness. Instead, she spent most of the day making faces or laughing to herself as Abby and Monica recounted their experiences. She pointed her finger at them as they left the witness chair and yelled, \u201cLiar!\u201d when they walked past her on their way back to their seats.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Court was adjourned for the day with Adam expected to testify in the morning. He would be followed by the sheriffs as the evidence in the attempted murder was presented. However, it was nearing dusk and there was still no sign of the star witness.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sheriff Andrews sighed in relief, giving the prosecutor a slap on the back as they saw the Cartwrights drive past the jail in their wagon. \u201cI told you he\u2019d be here!\u201d he said with the confidence he\u2019d been lacking only minutes earlier.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Addy was beside herself as she saw Adam walk in to the hotel and hurried to him with words of welcome. \u201cDear boy, you\u2019re here and in one piece! Shame on you for making us worry.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

His welcome from the Reeds, and Jake was equally as warm. Monica greeted him with a peck on the cheek and a question about his health.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m doing well,\u201d he replied with the same coolness with which her question was delivered. He wondered if she were simply angry that he had sent her away the day he\u2019d been shot or if there was more to it. He didn\u2019t regret his decision not to confide in her. There was a limit to how much mothering a man could accept from a woman that he didn\u2019t want as a mother.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam saw Sheriff Andrews enter the hotel and moved toward him, leaving Monica standing alone. He needed to talk more with Monica, but decided that it would have to wait.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

By late-morning Irvin Marks began to recap Adam\u2019s early testimony as he prepared to ask the most damning questions. \u201cSo far we know that Margot tried to extort money from your father by claiming that Jake Tanner was actually her son, fathered by you. Is that correct?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAfter Jake exposed Margot\u2019s lies, you confronted her about what she had done. What reasons did she give?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShe said that she knew that I loved her and was kept from asking her to marry her by my father. It was her intent to make both of us pay for betraying her. She also said that she was desperate and saw an opportunity to act and took it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWere you ever intimate with Margot Tanner?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDid you ever call on her or have feelings for her?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNever.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did you do after finding out about Margot\u2019s fantasy concerning you?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI began to wonder how many lies she might have told about me and went to Placerville to speak with people who had known or worked with Margot while she lived here.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDid you draw any conclusions about Margot\u2019s behavior after these conversations?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chesterfield objected. \u201cSpeculation. This man is not qualified to draw conclusions about the defendant\u2019s behavior.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The judge said, \u201cSustained.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cLet me ask you this,\u201d Irvin redirected, \u201cDid you find out anything that pertained to you?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Margot\u2019s lawyer tried to argue hearsay, but the judge allowed Adam to answer.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI was told by several people that Margot had represented herself as my fianc\u00e9e.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWere you ever engaged to Miss Tanner?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened on the second day that you were in town?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI spent the day talking with Addy Barker. That evening I was attacked by a man named Tiny who left me for dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDid he say why he was attacking you?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYes. He said\u2026as closely as I recall, \u2018You hurt Margot so you got this coming.\u2019 And as he was kicking me, he said, \u2019Why\u2019d you have to come here asking about her. She told me I had to take care of you so you don\u2019t ask no more questions.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re positive he said that Margo told him to do it?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

\u201dThe beating left you severely injured?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

Irvin held up papers. \u201cThese are medical records from Doctor Stevens that I\u2019m offering into evidence. They reveal that Mr. Cartwright received egregious injuries consisting of trauma to the head and torso caused by a man\u2019s boot, and severe injuries to his eyes and face when he was blindsided in the initial attack. Does this report correctly identify your injuries, Mr. Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you recovered enough to travel, what did you do?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I heard that Margot was in Carson City, I became worried for Jake and his grandparents, so I went there.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Irvin spoke to the jury, \u201cI\u2019m submitting records from your bank in Carson City showing that Margot Tanner tried to remove funds from your accounts while claiming that she was your widow.\u201d He looked back at Adam, \u201cIs that correct?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYour banker also sent an affidavit saying that Miss Tanner said she had both a birth and death certificate to prove her positions. Did you have reason to believe that she really thought you were dead?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chesterfield jumped up to object.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Marks withdrew the question and asked instead, \u201cWe will soon hear from Sheriff Michaels who will tell us that he was with you later in the day when Miss Tanner asked the man named Tiny to verify that he had killed you, so it appears obvious that she thought you were dead. What did you and the sheriff decide to do about Miss Tanner at that point?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam told the story leading up to what had happened in the hotel dining room. Margot had chuckled during some parts of Adam\u2019s testimony and had laughed out loud as he denied knowing her intimately. The judge had warned her about her behavior several times as she had either cleared her throat loudly, or made comments under her breath. Her odd behavior tapered off as the questioning continued, but at the point where Adam began to describe the circumstances of her arrest, she lost control.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She stood abruptly, screaming, \u201cYou are such a liar, Adam Cartwright! None of this would have happened if you\u2019d just admitted that you cared for me twelve years ago. We\u2019d have been happily married and no one would have had to die! It\u2019s your fault.\u201d She threw her head back, cackling, \u201cAll of this is your fault!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The courtroom erupted in noise and activity. Onlookers began talking. Margot\u2019s attorney pulled at her arm as he tried to get her to sit down and be quiet, and the judge called for order while banging his gavel.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

One of the newly appointed deputies moved in quickly to force Margot back into her chair. As he attempted to subdue her, she slipped under his arm and around his back to grab his revolver and stepped toward the witness chair. Pointing the gun at Adam, she spoke with deadly calm, \u201cI should have taken care of you myself a long time ago, just like I finally did with Missy.\u201d She pulled the hammer back and shot.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her second shot went high, breaking several glass lanterns on a shelf behind the judge. Glass splintered and fell around him like ice crystals as a third shot resounded in the room. That round came from Sheriff Andrews\u2019s gun. As the smoke cleared, Margot sprawled across the defendant\u2019s table in a pool of blood.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After a moment of shocked silence, pandemonium broke loose. Women screamed and a stampede of people headed toward the door knocking over chairs in their rush to exit.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Addy stood observing the chaos around her. She had seen the first bullet bring Adam to the floor and her heart had seized. Margo had finally accomplished her goal\u2014even\u00a0if it had cost\u00a0her own life. She turned to see Monica doubled over and weeping, but was unable to\u00a0offer her any comfort. She saw the Cartwrights moving toward Adam and ached for their loss. The Reeds were huddled together; Sara’s face was white and uncomprehending.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Addy sat down involuntarily, numb and grieving, wondering if life would ever be the same for any of them.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The crack of the gavel sounded as if the judge had split the table with the force of his swing. His voice boomed, \u201cI want order!\u201d The room quieted enough that he could be heard. \u201cEveryone will sit down! The danger is over, but this trial isn\u2019t. We will conclude before anyone leaves.\u201d He ordered the deputies to secure the doors and make sure people returned to their seats.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Doctor Stevens had been watching the proceedings and had made his way to the witness chair as soon as the gunfire ended. In response to the judge\u2019s question as to how badly Adam was injured, he reported that he was fine except for a few splinters.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI was sure she got you,\u201d the judge confided as he leaned over to address Adam while his family helped him to stand.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cShe got the chair leg. As fast as she was able to point and cock and that gun, I thought it was all over. But her aim drifted low as she fired.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When Addy heard Adam\u2019s voice she jumped from her chair, shouting, \u201cPraise be!\u201d She expected that Monica would join her celebration, but was surprised to see that she remained doubled over and silent.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Once Doctor Stevens verified that Margot was dead, her body was quickly taken away and a tarp from the hardware store was used to cover the table where her blood remained. With the scene back to a semblance of order, the judge called again for quiet.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThis has been one of the strangest trials I\u2019ve ever presided over. I know a judge must remain impartial but I think that the evidence for both indictments was sound and would have brought a conviction.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I commend Mr. Marks for presenting this case without capitalizing on any of the sensationalism it has evoked. The witnesses did an exceptional job testifying. You simply and clearly put forth the facts as they led toward the conclusion of Miss Tanner\u2019s involvement.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The judge asked the defense attorney to stand. \u201cI want to commend you as well, Mr. Chesterfield. I think you did a fine job trying to establish doubt with an extremely difficult client.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He turned his attention to the others seated before him. \u201cMiss Tanner was obviously a disturbed woman. I have known cold-blooded killers. It still always amazes me how they are able to absolve themselves from any guilt in taking the lives of their victims. In this case, Margot Tanner seemed to see no personal responsibility for her actions, so I would label her a cold-blooded killer as well. We wonder how a person can drift so far from the truth and ask \u2018why?\u2019 But when a person has gone so far off center, I\u2019ve come to see that for them, the question is really, \u2018why not?\u2019 I\u2019m not sure how a person loses his conscience, but once that inner voice of right and wrong is gone, he sees nothing inappropriate with lies and even murder to get his way.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He pointed his gavel toward the audience. \u201cI\u2019m sure there are reporters in this group who are drooling with the thought of how they\u2019re going to exploit this story\u2026and make a goodly sum in doing it. I can\u2019t stop you, but I ask you to remain principled. Margot Tanner hurt many people. If you make a mockery out of this by including half-truths and speculation, or turn this into some dime novel, you\u2019ll hurt these people even more. There\u2019s a good story here\u2014one that others can learn from\u2014if you write it correctly. I\u2019ll be reading what you post, and will be in touch if I think there\u2019s been any tampering with the facts.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Raising his gavel one last time, he said, \u201cThis trial is concluded.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Eleven<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s Time To Say Goodbye<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Those directly involved in the trial walked across the street to Monica\u2019s hotel. They\u2019d been scheduled to have lunch there anyway and headed toward the dining room while Sheriff Andrews posted guards at the door to keep the curious at bay.<\/p>\n

Adam followed Monica as she headed for her office while the others drifted into groups, talking about what had occurred during the trial.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He slipped in behind her and shut the door. \u201cThat was quite a morning\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She nodded without speaking.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s bothering you, Monica?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou just said it was quite a morning. That should be enough, don\u2019t you think?\u201d She didn\u2019t look at him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps,\u201d he answered dryly, \u201cBut you were already upset when I arrived yesterday\u2026hours before what happened today. So, what\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She slid her hand along the glossy surface of her desk as she moved behind it, and finally said, \u201cEverything\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam chuckled. \u201cThat\u2019s a pretty wide range. Can you narrow it down a little?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She shrugged her shoulders in reply.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAre you upset with me?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her blue skirt whirled as she turned and walked back to him. Placing her hand on his cheek, she said, \u201cNo, Adam. I\u2019m not upset with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThen what?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She shrugged her shoulders again. \u201cSo much has changed.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cA lot has happened, and circumstances have changed, but you haven\u2019t changed, have you?\u201d \u00a0He led her to a small sofa in the corner of the room and sat facing her.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her breath made a whistling sound as she exhaled through pursed lips. Looking at him briefly before lowering her eyes, she whispered, \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cTell me what\u2019s on your mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She wiped at the tears trickling down her cheeks. \u201cWhen I saw you go down in court earlier\u2014thinking that Margot had finally killed you\u2014it hit me squarely that I was responsible for your death.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not true!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, just listen. Your father and Addy convinced me that no one can make you do something that you don\u2019t want to do\u2026or keep you from doing what you are committed to doing on your own. The reason I\u2019m responsible for what happened to you started years ago with Marcus\u2019s death and continued with all those that followed.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t understand. There was nothing you could have done to prevent what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t be so sure.\u201d Monica\u2019s eyes were filled with pain and doubt as she struggled to keep from sobbing. \u201cIt goes back to when Marcus died. At the time, I was madder at Marcus than I was at Margot and wouldn\u2019t put the pieces together. He betrayed me: that\u2019s all I could see.\u201d She sniffed as her nose began to run. \u201cI know that he didn\u2019t have an affair with her. For me, his betrayal was more about believing her lies. I never gave him any reason to doubt me, and yet he believed her\u2026while accusing me of lying to protect myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam took her hands. \u201cI understand that, Monica. She was an expert at making people question what they might never have thought they would.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She nodded. \u201cI see that now, but I was so hurt when Marcus died that I thought only about my pain. It didn\u2019t even cross my mind to think about what\u00a0she<\/em>\u00a0did to\u00a0him<\/em>\u2026how badly he felt, or how confused he was about what had happened. I suspected that she had arranged for his death, and even thought about telling the sheriff about my concerns. But others convinced me that there was no \u2018evidence\u2019 of her involvement. I ran off to San Francisco to hide from the truth. When I got back, I put my energy into showing Margot up rather than standing up for Marcus. I threw myself into the business and became successful on my own. Instead of finding justice, I found retribution in knowing that she had to watch me become what she could never be.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She inhaled deeply and closed her eyes. \u201cI thought it was enough to show my superiority. I continued to think it was enough even after Belle came to me and told me about the blackmail schemes that sounded a lot like what had happened to Marcus. If I\u2019d even gone to the sheriff then, I could have stopped her.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam broke into her narrative. \u201cThis is very contemplative, Monica\u2026and defeating. You can\u2019t know how things would have worked out if you\u2019d confronted her. Chances are you\u2019d have ended up dead as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a possibility, but I didn\u2019t even try. You didn\u2019t let her stop you even after she tried to kill you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cBut there was so much more evidence by the time I went after her. She couldn\u2019t lie or kill her way out of everything. It had grown too large to handle.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She hiccupped as she tried to stifle a sob. \u201cDon\u2019t you see? If I\u2019d pressed the sheriff back then\u2014done some investigating of my own and let her know that she couldn\u2019t get away with murder or blackmail\u2014none of that other \u2018evidence\u2019 would have ever happened!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He gave her his handkerchief and drew her to his shoulder. \u201cYou\u2019re being mighty hard on yourself. None of know how our actions might change the course of events. It\u2019s over now. You did the best you could and in the end that\u2019s all we can do. Look at all the good you\u2019ve done around this town, and are doing for the Reeds and Addy. You can move on now\u2014all of you\u2014without Margot.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her voice was muffled by his shirt. \u201cMargot will always be there. I\u2019m afraid that I\u2019m doing good for the Reeds now because I was too much of a coward to save their daughter when it mattered.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI understand how it may seem that way to you, but I don\u2019t think anyone else does. Life is a series of choices. Sometimes we make the wrong ones\u2014or at least it seems that we have. The Reeds probably feel guilty that they didn\u2019t try harder to find their daughter, and I suspect Addy feels great guilt for letting Missy return to Margot\u2019s house the day she died. You all have to go on from here rather than worrying about what might have been.\u201d He pulled her closer. \u201cWe\u2019ll all have to remind each other of that.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Monica sat up and held him at arm\u2019s length. \u201cThere\u2019s more.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He smiled understandingly as one eyebrow rose.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI told you that I was angry at Marcus. I didn\u2019t understand how he could let someone like Margot trick him.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd now you understand.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve come to realize that Margot could bend the truth to destroy anyone.\u201d She gave him a teary smile. \u201cYou didn\u2019t even know her and she derailed your life for a while. And as intelligent as your father is, he was fooled too. \u00a0I can\u2019t be mad at Marcus anymore and am ashamed of how I acted. He was used, abused and murdered because he stood up to her. I need time to mourn my husband as I should have years ago. He deserves that.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam pulled her to him and nestled her on his shoulder.<\/p>\n

After a few moments, she pulled away and looked directly into his eyes. \u201cSomehow you don\u2019t seem upset by what I\u2019ve said.\u201d She gave him a wary look. \u201cI\u2019m wondering if you\u2019ve had a few realizations of your own.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

His cheeks turned pink as he considered how to answer. \u201cI\u2019ve been doing a lot of thinking too.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI thought so. So what had you planned to tell me?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThat it\u2019s not easy to get to know each other in the best of circumstances. In this case our connection to Margot\u2014and the events of the last few weeks\u2014would certainly have some impact. I was going to suggest we each take some time to let those effects wane a bit before trying to figure out whether we\u2019d like to become a couple. It does seem that we both have unfinished business because of this. You\u2019re grieving your husband and need to work out the guilt you\u2019re feeling toward those you think you let down.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She nodded. \u201cI think you understand perfectly. And what\u2019s your \u2018unfinished business?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHoss told me that there was a bridge between my father and me that he thought no one could destroy. But he saw how Margot\u2019s lies and Pa\u2019s initial doubts about my truthfulness had done some serious damage to it. My brother is a very smart man.\u201d Adam smiled thoughtfully. \u201cPa and I have started to rebuild that bridge. We\u2019ve talked more in the last two weeks than in all the time since I came home from school. But it\u2019s going to take time for us to stop acting like we\u2019re walking on eggs around each other. That can only happen if I go back and work through it with him. Nothing else in my life will seem right until I get things right at home.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He pushed a wayward strand of hair back behind her ear and raised her chin. \u201cSo it seems like we\u2019re saying goodbye…\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSeems so.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After a time he rose, saying, \u201cI suppose we should join the others before Addy comes looking for us.\u201d Adam assisted her to her feet and drew her near for a kiss.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As they neared the dining room, he teased gently, \u201cI understand there\u2019s only one hotel in Placerville worth staying at.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what I hear. They guarantee beds that are free of lice and bed bugs, give you clean towels without an extra charge, and keep their guests from being beaten to within an inch of their lives. They also offer a wonderful welcome from the owner.\u201d<\/p>\n

He winked at her. \u201cDon\u2019t forget the likelihood of having your pants hidden by a sly, 80-year-old desk clerk.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Her bottom lip trembled as her eyes welled again with tears. \u201cPromise me you\u2019ll come back to this part of the world someday.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI promise.\u201d He rested his cheek against her head. Looking up, he saw his father wave to him from their table.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll send Addy to find you if you don\u2019t.\u201d She gave him a nudge. \u201cGet going, Adam Cartwright. Your family\u2019s waiting.\u201d<\/p>\n

The End.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

*John 8:44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father\u2019s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

2 This part of the story goes back to a series I wrote called\u00a0It\u2019s Just a Year. In the third story,\u00a0The Worst of Consequences \u2013 A lesson in Choices, a 17 year old Adam faced a sleazy trail hand in a shootout to protect his father. The trail hand played on Adam\u2019s fear that Ben was too old and slow to compete and used Adam\u2019s lack of killer instinct to get the first shot. While it only grazed Adam, it damaged an artery that opened and bled throughout the day as Adam insisted on completing the trail ride, nearly causing his death. However, the loss of blood put him into a coma lasting for several weeks, as told in the fourth story,\u00a0The Quiet Months. Dr. Fredericks tended to Adam but saw no good end and tried to get Ben to move him to a facility rather than tending to him at home. In this current story, Ben is forced to rely on the same doctor who had given up on his son once before.<\/em><\/p>\n

End Notes:<\/b><\/em><\/p>\n

My thanks as always to Sandspur for her beta reading and suggestions.<\/em><\/p>\n

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

Summary: \u00a0Adam has never worried about his father’s faith and trust in him. That changes dramamtically after a woman drops an 11 year-old at the Ponderosa,\u00a0telling Ben that\u00a0the boy\u00a0is Adam’s son, conceived before he left for college. After repeated attempts to defend himself against th accusation, Adam leaves home, angry and hurt by his father’s seeming refusal to accept that the\u00a0woman is lying. Once Adam confronts his accuser, he is\u00a0forced to look further\u00a0to find out how he and his family became\u00a0targets for her ploy,\u00a0and pays a high price for trying to find the truth in her life of lies.<\/p>\n

Rated:\u00a0T \u00a0WC \u00a060,000 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":82,"featured_media":14890,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[2,1005,23,41],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6501","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-actionadventure","category-adam-cartwright","category-drama","category-hurtcomfort","wpcat-2-id","wpcat-1005-id","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-41-id"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/TDG-1-DVS.jpg?fit=832%2C626&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6501","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/82"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6501"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6501\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/14890"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6501"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6501"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6501"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}