{"id":7112,"date":"2003-09-17T11:58:12","date_gmt":"2003-09-17T15:58:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=7112"},"modified":"2025-09-09T14:38:27","modified_gmt":"2025-09-09T18:38:27","slug":"a-different-kind-of-vengeance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=7112","title":{"rendered":"A Different Kind of Vengeance (by Rona)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary: \u00a0<\/span>After Hoss is bushwhacked and badly injured, Joe vows to find the men who did it, even though he was injured, too.<\/p>\n

Rated: K+ (8,300 words)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A Different Kind of Vengeance<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t mean to sleep so late,\u201d Joe Cartwright apologised to his father as he sat down to breakfast. \u201cI guess I was tired!\u201d<\/p>\n

His father, Ben Cartwright, laughed. \u201cJoe, that\u2019s something of an understatement, son! You were so tired last night that you almost fell asleep in your plate a few times!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wasn\u2019t that bad!\u201d Joe protested, but he was laughing, too.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, was that someone else then?\u201d Ben asked. \u201cYour identical twin, perhaps?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s green eyes sparked and his grin got wider. \u201cNow, there\u2019s an idea!\u201d he exclaimed. \u201cA twin!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNever mind!\u201d Ben warned him, wagging his finger at his unrepentant son. \u201cOne of you is more than enough! I wasn\u2019t grey until you were born.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another laughing glance was thrown Ben\u2019s way as Joe stuffed scrambled eggs into his mouth. The previous day, Joe had returned from a trip to Reno, where he had been looking at some horses he was considering buying. The trip had been fraught with one delay after another and when Joe finally arrived home, he was several days over due; wet, dirty and cold; and hadn\u2019t bought the horses.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019d you get on with hiring men for the round up?\u201d Joe asked. He grimaced slightly, for he had finished one long journey where he\u2019d had to sleep on the ground, to face another similar journey almost at once.<\/p>\n

Making a face, Ben shrugged. \u201cWe got a few, but they\u2019re a pretty sorry lot. I don\u2019t know how many of them will still be around when we actually get going, or how many will still be there when we arrive in Sacramento.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat bad, huh?\u201d Joe sympathised. \u201cA lot of the men still heading to work in the mines?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt seems so,\u201d Ben agreed, heavily. This was an annual problem for the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo what do you want me to do today?\u201d Joe asked, round a mouthful of bacon.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like you to go into town and draw the wages,\u201d Ben replied. \u201cHoss was going to go, but one of the cows didn\u2019t look too good and he went down there to see it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although the last thing Joe wanted to do was ride into town, he smiled cheerfully and nodded. \u201cSure thing, Pa,\u201d he agreed.<\/p>\n

Patting Joe\u2019s arm, Ben wasn\u2019t fooled. \u201cI know you\u2019re stiff from yesterday, Joe,\u201d he said, softly.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not a problem,\u201d Joe assured his father, giving him a loving smile. \u201cHonest, Pa. Just let me finish this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I was hardly going to turn you out in the middle of your meal!\u201d Ben objected. \u201cAlthough at the rate you\u2019re going, I might have to! I can\u2019t feed you and Hoss if you\u2019re both going to eat like that!\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe laughed so hard he choked, and Ben had to thump him on the back. Once his breathing was under control again, Joe grinned. \u201cIt\u2019s good to be home,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

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

Walking out to the barn to saddle Cochise, Joe reflected that he really was very stiff from the long day he\u2019d put in the day before. Having been so held up, Joe had pushed both himself and his mount to get home. He knew that the ride to town and back wouldn\u2019t do either himself or Cochise any harm, provided that he didn\u2019t push the pace.<\/p>\n

The pinto had bits of straw twined in his mane and tail, telling Joe that he had been down for at least some of the night. Grooming his horse, Joe talked away to him, something he\u2019d done all his life without being aware of it. Every good horseman spoke to his horse. Cochise\u2019s black and white ears flickered backwards and forwards and he shook his head, or snorted occasionally. It always gave the impression that a two-way conversation was going on.<\/p>\n

The ride into town soon loosened up both horse and rider and Joe felt like his old self when he got there. Tethering Cochise, Joe went first to check the mail, picking up a couple of letters for Adam. He glanced at the Silver Dollar as he went past, but he wasn\u2019t in the mood for a beer right then and went straight to the bank. The sooner the money for the payroll was back at the ranch and given to the men, the better.<\/p>\n

When he left to go home, Joe had been in town for less than an hour. He waved to Roy Coffee, the sheriff, from across the street, but didn\u2019t stop. He hadn\u2019t seen Roy in a while, and he didn\u2019t want to have to tell the story of his abortive trip to Reno. No doubt, Ben would tell Roy the next time the two of them played checkers.<\/p>\n

Riding home, Joe felt that all was right with the world. He always felt this way when he returned home. His heart lay on the mighty Ponderosa and he could never imagine wanting to leave it and live elsewhere.<\/p>\n

Movement caught his eye and he turned his head. Frowning, Joe could hardly believe what he was seeing. Four men were beating up another man, and Joe felt his heart lurch as he recognised his brother Hoss. Without a thought for his own safety, Joe spurred his mount into a gallop and dragged his gun from his holster, firing a warning shot in the air.<\/p>\n

Two of the men were holding Hoss by the arms, and the other two were hitting him. When they heard Joe\u2019s shot, one of the men turned, drew his gun and fired at Joe. It was a lucky shot for the man. The almost spent bullet ripped through Joe\u2019s side, all but knocking him from the saddle.<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s intervention allowed Hoss to recover from the pounding he\u2019d been getting and he managed to break free from the two men who\u2019d been holding him. However, the fourth man saw the large, enraged Cartwright coming, and sledged his gun down on Hoss\u2019 bare head. As the big man went down, he hit Hoss again.
\nSo angry that he barely felt the pain from the bullet wound, Joe kept coming. He shot back at the men, and saw one go down. By then, Joe was in amongst the men, and he was hauled from his saddle by the man who had shot him.<\/p>\n

But Joe was not known as the most stubborn Cartwright for nothing! He swung furiously at the man holding him and got in a punch that practically knocked the guy over. With his gun hand again free, Joe fired three shots in the air \u2013 the Cartwright distress signal.<\/p>\n

At that, the other three men exchanged a glance. Joe threw another punch at one, but he was reeling on his feet from the blood loss and his opponent feinted a punch at him while one of the others reversed his gun and hit Joe on the head.<\/p>\n

As Joe toppled to the ground, he heard the men say, \u201cAnd he wasn\u2019t even carrying the payroll!\u201d Then the world went dark.<\/p>\n

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

Somewhere nearby, someone was groaning. Forcing open his eyes, Joe squinted until he became used to the bright light again. He turned his head, aware only of pain thumping him from all over his body. As his gaze fell on the person lying beside him, Joe forgot all about his own pain. He rolled over and felt frantically for Hoss\u2019 pulse. It was there, a bit slow, Joe thought, but fairly steady.<\/p>\n

But that was the only good news Joe could find. Hoss was deeply unconscious, blood oozing steadily from twin wounds on his scalp. It ran down the sides of his head to pool on the ground. \u201cHoss, can you hear me?\u201d Joe demanded, shaking his brother gently, but there was no response. Joe wondered why Hoss was no longer groaning, not realising that the sound had come from himself.<\/p>\n

A few feet away was the wagon Hoss had been driving. Joe fastened his eyes on it, determined to somehow get his older, taller, heavier brother into it and safely home. Pushing his body up from the ground, Joe cried out as the pain from the bullet wound ripped through him. He collapsed back to the earth, groaning and panting until the pain was under control again.<\/p>\n

Moving carefully, Joe finally gained his feet, although his head swam alarmingly and he staggered like a drunk in a high wind. But somehow, he reached the wagon and got the team moving. Once the wagon was beside Hoss, Joe rested, still trying to figure out a way of getting Hoss into the wagon. A familiar muzzle insinuated itself into his hand and Joe absently petted Cochise while he tried to force his woolly brain to think. And then it came to him.<\/p>\n

He would use the horse to help.<\/p>\n

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

By the time the wagon rolled to a stop in the yard, Joe was conscious only by sheer will power. He could feel the blood trickling down his side, and judging by the sweat that kept forming on his face, the bullet was still in the wound. Joe was shivering, and knew that infection was likely setting in. He had also strained the muscles while manoeuvring Hoss into the wagon.
\nLicking his lips, Joe wondered if he had enough voice to shout for help. It was about lunchtime, so both Ben and Adam ought to be around, but Joe didn\u2019t know where either of them was working that day, and for all he knew, the house might be empty.<\/p>\n

Deciding that he might be quicker going over to the house, Joe started to climb down from the wagon seat. But he had underestimated his weakness and as he leant over, his head whirled violently and he toppled to the ground, letting out a scream of pain as he landed.<\/p>\n

Moments later, the front door of the house opened and Ben hurried out, to stand transfixed for a second before rushing over to Joe. Adam followed on his heels.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe!\u201d Ben exclaimed, kneeling by his son. \u201cWhat happened to you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, Hoss is\u2026in the\u2026wagon.\u201d Joe stopped to swallow. \u201cI think\u2026he\u2019s\u2026badly hurt.\u201d With his message safely imparted, Joe let go and slid into the waiting darkness.<\/p>\n

Straightening, Adam hurried round to the back of the wagon. He wondered briefly how Joe had managed to get Hoss into it, given his injury, but, as he saw the dried blood on Hoss\u2019 head, the thought flew out of his mind. \u201cPa, Joe\u2019s right,\u201d he called. \u201cI\u2019ll get some help.\u201d He hurried off to the bunkhouse, leaving Ben kneeling on the ground, cradling his injured son.<\/p>\n

Within a few minutes, Adam was back with some of the men. One saddled a horse and rode off for the doctor. The others helped carry Joe and Hoss inside. Ben was in a dilemma. Both his sons were injured and both needed him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll look after Joe,\u201d Adam told Ben. \u201cYou go and see how Hoss is. If you need me, shout.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nodding, Ben went into Hoss\u2019 room. His middle son was stretched out on the bed, and someone had pulled his boots off. Hoss\u2019 face was stained with rusty dried blood and his pulse was steady, if a bit slow. \u201cHoss,\u201d Ben whispered. \u201cCan you hear me?\u201d<\/p>\n

There was no response. Ben turned to go and call for Hop Sing to bring him some water, but the Chinese factotum had anticipated his request and was there with water in his hands. \u201cThank you, Hop Sing,\u201d Ben muttered and took the water into the room.<\/p>\n

Bathing away the blood allowed Ben to see the two deep wounds on Hoss\u2019 head more clearly, and he was relieved when the water began to bring his son around. When Hoss\u2019 eyes did finally flicker open, Ben could see he was very dazed and hurried to reassure him.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all right, son, you\u2019re home,\u201d he said, soothingly. \u201cDon\u2019t move, you\u2019ve had a hard knock on the head.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe,\u201d Hoss muttered. \u201cJoe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTake it easy,\u201d Ben murmured, letting his tone do most of the talking for him. \u201cJoe brought you home and he\u2019s going to be just fine!\u201d For a moment, Ben\u2019s thoughts strayed to his youngest son, wondering how Joe was faring. All that blood\u2026 Hoss groaned and Ben retrieved his straying mind and reached out to gently catch Hoss\u2019 hand before he could raise it to his head. \u201cDon\u2019t move,\u201d he repeated.<\/p>\n

Knowing that it could be dangerous to allow a person to sleep after a head injury, Ben kept Hoss awake by talking to him, but he didn\u2019t ask what had happened although he was desperate to know. He prayed that Paul Martin would hurry.<\/p>\n

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

Across the corridor, Adam unbuttoned Joe\u2019s shirt and lifted the fabric to peer at the wound. There was still a little blood coming from it, but now that Joe was still, his body\u2019s natural clotting was being allowed to work. For the moment, Joe was still unconscious, so Adam rolled him onto his side and stripped off the bloody shirt. There was no exit wound, he noticed.<\/p>\n

Taking advantage of Joe\u2019s somnolent state, Adam removed all his soiled clothing and when Hop Sing brought some water, he began to bathe the wound on Joe\u2019s head. The youth\u2019s face was covered in dirt and as Adam washed it, he felt a lump on Joe\u2019s head under his curls.<\/p>\n

Opening his eyes, Joe groaned. \u201cPa, it hurts,\u201d he whispered, and licked his dry lips.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s me, Joe,\u201d Adam replied, leaning in. \u201cPa\u2019s with Hoss.\u201d He reached for the glass of water and lifted Joe\u2019s head to let him drink.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam,\u201d Joe acknowledged, as he lay down again. \u201cHoss \u2013 is he\u2026?\u201d He couldn\u2019t finish the sentence.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s alive,\u201d Adam assured him. \u201cI haven\u2019t seen him since he was brought in, because I\u2019ve been here keeping an eye on you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were beating him up,\u201d Joe went on, his hoarse voice giving Adam an idea of his pain. \u201cI fired in the air, and one of them shot at me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLooks like he got you, too,\u201d Adam commented, gently.<\/p>\n

\u201cI got one of them,\u201d Joe went on, oblivious to Adam\u2019s comment. \u201cOne of them hit Hoss and I fought with the other.\u201d He frowned. \u201cI must\u2019ve got hit on the head. I heard one say something about the payroll.\u201d Joe\u2019s eyes suddenly opened wide and he struggled to sit up. \u201cThe payroll!\u201d he cried, as Adam gently restrained him.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry about that now,\u201d chided Adam. \u201cPlease, Joe, stay still. You\u2019re bleeding again.\u201d Joe\u2019s struggles had reopened the barely clotted wound. Adam snatched up the cloth he had been using to bathe Joe\u2019s face and pressed it against his side, trying to staunch the blood. Joe let out a fearful groan and turned several shades paler.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t!\u201d he gasped, breathlessly. \u201cIt hurts! Adam!\u201d He fought to push his brother\u2019s hands away, but Adam captured both of Joe\u2019s wrists in one hand. After a moment, Joe\u2019s weak struggles ceased. Tears slipped sideways from his closed eyes and ran down the sides of his face into his hair.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Joe,\u201d Adam apologised, not relinquishing his hold. Joe\u2019s arm muscles were still taut. \u201cBut I must stop the bleeding.\u201d<\/p>\n

His only reply was a groan of pain. Joe\u2019s arms relaxed. Cautiously, Adam let go. There were no more attempts to push his hands away. Joe lay still on the bed, his head turned slightly towards the door. Adam cautiously lifted the cloth and saw that the bleeding had stopped again.<\/p>\n

Hop Sing left as silently as he had arrived.<\/p>\n

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

Hearing the buggy in the yard, Hop Sing went out. He had been going up and down stairs constantly, providing the things that Ben and Adam required. Now, he bowed slightly to the doctor. \u201cMistah Hoss get hit on head two times,\u201d he said. \u201cLil Joe get shot in side.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Hop Sing,\u201d Paul replied. \u201cI\u2019ll see Hoss first, then Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bowing again, Hop Sing knew that he would have a few minutes before he would have to bring the hot water he had boiling on the stove and he went out to the barn. One of the hands had put Joe\u2019s horse away and Hop Sing went straight over to the youth\u2019s saddle and opened the saddlebags. At once, he found the payroll money, intact, as far as he could tell. Tucking it away in the pocket of his apron, Hop Sing went back to the house and upstairs to find out what was needed.<\/p>\n

Paul had gone to Hoss first, as he guessed he would probably be longer with Joe. However, he was very concerned when he saw Hoss, as the big man appeared very dazed, and not completely with it. He examined Hoss thoroughly and gently felt his head. Hoss winced slightly a couple of times, but Paul was concerned by his lack of reaction.<\/p>\n

Drawing Ben aside, Paul looked at him gravely. \u201cBen, I think we\u2019re dealing with a skull fracture here. It\u2019s not depressed, for which I\u2019m very thankful, but Hoss must keep his head absolutely still! We\u2019re going to have to hope that he isn\u2019t going to be stricken with too much nausea. Keep him very quiet, and on a light diet. Apart from that, he\u2019s had a bit of a beating, but there are no broken bones.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow long for?\u201d Ben asked looking anxiously at Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cA week, maybe ten days. It\u2019ll depend largely on Hoss.\u201d Paul looked intently at his friend. \u201cAs long as you can keep him fairly still, he should recover, Ben. Don\u2019t worry if he doesn\u2019t seem to know what\u2019s going on. That\u2019s natural and a side effect of the concussion.\u201d Paul sighed. \u201cI often find that putting pillows on either side of the patient\u2019s head helps to prevent movement.\u201d Seeing the strain on Ben\u2019s face, Paul essayed a small joke. \u201cJust be thankful its Hoss, and not Joe. You\u2019d never be able to keep Joe\u2019s head still.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you seen Joe?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just going there now,\u201d Paul replied. He went back over to Hoss. \u201cHoss, I want you to keep as still as you can for me. I\u2019m going to give you something for the pain and then you can go to sleep, all right?\u201d
\n\u201cAll right,\u201d Hoss mumbled. \u201cHow\u2019s Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust sleep,\u201d Ben soothed and Hoss\u2019 eyes drifted closed and a few moments later he began to snore gently. Ben smiled fondly at him.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, let\u2019s see about that other son of yours,\u201d Paul whispered and they went across the corridor.<\/p>\n

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

Adam looked unaccountably relieved when Paul and Ben came in. Fear spiked through Ben\u2019s gut at that look and he hurried over to the bed to look down on his youngest son. Joe\u2019s green eyes opened as he sensed his father\u2019s presence. \u201cPa,\u201d he whispered. His hand drifted up and Ben took it. \u201cIt hurts.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, son,\u201d Ben soothed, stroking his head. \u201cThe doctor\u2019s here and he\u2019s going to help you.\u201d Turning his head, he saw Paul was already pulling the blankets back to examine the wound.<\/p>\n

It was the first time Ben had seen the injury and he could barely contain a gasp. Joe was running a fever and as soon as Ben saw the red, swollen hole in his son\u2019s side, he knew infection had set in. Paul motioned to Adam to help him turn Joe onto his side and Joe cried out in agony.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to have to operate,\u201d Paul announced, his tone grim. \u201cThat bullet\u2019s been in there more than long enough.\u201d He suddenly leant closer. \u201cBring that lamp here,\u201d he ordered, and Adam hastily complied, lighting the lamp so that Paul had as much light as possible.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cI can see the bullet,\u201d Paul replied. \u201cI might be able to get it out without cutting any further.\u201d He began to rummage though his bag, producing several instruments. \u201cAll right. Joe, I\u2019m going to give you something for the pain. I\u2019m afraid this is still going to hurt, but I\u2019ll be as quick as I can. All right?\u201d Joe nodded. \u201cHop Sing, can you bring me some water and towels, please and then come and hold this lamp. Ben, hold Joe\u2019s arms and Adam, you take his legs. Hold him still.\u201d<\/p>\n

As ever, Hop Sing had everything the doctor needed prepared. He laid everything out then took the lamp, holding it exactly where he was told to. Ben, reluctance all over his face, gently pinned Joe\u2019s arms to the bed above his head. Joe groaned as the movement strained his side. Adam sat on the bed, leaning his forearm on Joe\u2019s thighs.<\/p>\n

After a searching look at the face of each of his helpers, Paul began. Joe immediately let out a cry of pain and began to struggle. Despite the amount of blood he had lost, his struggles were quite strong, and Adam almost lost hold of his legs for a moment. Paul hesitated as Adam used more force to pin his brother to the bed, then began to work again.<\/p>\n

It took less than two minutes for Paul to hook the bullet and ease it out of Joe\u2019s flesh, but it seemed like a life-time to Ben and Adam, pinning him down. Joe continued to struggle, until Paul sat back and said, \u201cDone!\u201d in tones of great satisfaction.
\nA huge clot of blood had followed the bullet out of Joe\u2019s side, and Paul wiped it away, along with a small amount of pus. Then he swabbed the wound with alcohol, before starting to stitch. Joe\u2019s struggles became weaker, until he finally slipped into unconsciousness. Ben started to relax his grip, but Paul stopped him. \u201cDon\u2019t let go,\u201d he warned. \u201cHe could waken just as suddenly, and we don\u2019t want him moving too soon. Not until I\u2019ve finished stitching.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right,\u201d Ben muttered, but he felt dreadful. However, it only took Paul another minute to finish up, and then he got Ben to help him sit Joe up and wrapped a bandage around his slim waist. Joe began to stir as they laid him carefully back down.<\/p>\n

As Ben ministered to his youngest, Adam eyed Paul. \u201cWas that necessary?\u201d he demanded, belligerently.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know you don\u2019t think so,\u201d Paul replied, mildly, \u201cbut that was a lot less hard on Joe than an anaesthetic would have been. When someone has lost a lot of blood, knocking them out puts them in greater danger. A few minutes work, and it was over, whereas with chloroform, or ether, he would still be unconscious, and would then feel quite sick when he woke, more than an hour from now. All right, it hurt, but the morphine should be working by now, and he will hardly feel anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo you say,\u201d Adam began, but Ben put a stop to that.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam!\u201d Ben straightened. \u201cThat\u2019s enough. Paul knows what he\u2019s doing, and at least Joe didn\u2019t have to be cut.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all right, Ben,\u201d Paul assured his friend. He put his hand on Adam\u2019s shoulder and squeezed gently. \u201cAdam\u2019s just concerned for his brother.\u201d He also knew that Adam was reacting to his own pain and guilt from when he had accidentally shot Joe, then been forced to remove the bullet, without any kind of pain relief for Joe at all.<\/p>\n

Still not looking convinced Adam asked, \u201cAre you sure?\u201d<\/p>\n

Nodding, Paul added, \u201cThere\u2019s always a risk with anaesthetic. Yes, Joe suffered some pain there, but he would have suffered more if I\u2019d had to cut into his flesh. Adam, really, I\u2019m not into torturing people, despite what your brother here would have you believe.\u201d He jerked a thumb at Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cI see,\u201d Adam apologised. \u201cI\u2018m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI should think so!\u201d Ben hissed, but Paul shook his head, knowing both Ben and Adam were reacting to the strain.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all right, Ben,\u201d Paul assured him. \u201cAdam was only voicing his concern.\u201d He smiled at Adam, who smiled back gratefully. \u201cNow, keep Joe in bed for a few days until we see how he does. I think we got the infection out of there, but I\u2019ll check on him every day when I\u2019m out to see Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss?\u201d Adam repeated, sharply. Paul quickly explained Hoss\u2019 condition to him.<\/p>\n

Turning to Hop Sing, Paul said, \u201cI\u2019m relying on you, Hop Sing, to make sure these two get enough rest and plenty to eat.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Doctah,\u201d Hop Sing responded, bowing deeply. There was no visible change of expression on his face, but Ben had the distinct impression that he was pleased.<\/p>\n

As Paul went out, Hop Sing felt in his apron pocket and handed Ben the wad of cash. \u201cPayroll still in Lil Joe\u2019s saddlebags,\u201d he explained. \u201cBoy worried about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut Joe said those men were after the payroll,\u201d Adam murmured, puzzled. \u201cI thought they must have got it. After all, look at the state of both Joe and Hoss!\u201d He frowned at the money in Ben\u2019s hand. \u201cI don\u2019t understand.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNor do I,\u201d Ben agreed. \u201cAnd we won\u2019t get an explanation until either Joe or Hoss tell us.\u201d Ben suddenly felt utterly weary. Sitting down on the sofa, he realised, with a distinct sense of shock, that it wasn\u2019t even suppertime yet. For all that it felt like late in the evening, it was still only afternoon.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll go and pay the men,\u201d Adam offered.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, son,\u201d Ben agreed. He pulled himself to his feet. \u201cI must go and waken Hoss again.\u201d<\/p>\n

He headed upstairs as Adam went out.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cFour of the men are missing?\u201d Ben echoed. \u201cWhich men?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re all new men,\u201d Adam replied. \u201cForbes, Hardy, Rutter and Wallace. They just disappeared this morning, one by one, and no one noticed them going.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t even think what they look like,\u201d Ben mused, frowning.<\/p>\n

\u201cNeither can I,\u201d Adam admitted. \u201cBut they knew that today was payday, and originally, Hoss was supposed to be going into town to get it. I wonder if they hijacked him because they thought he had the money on him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd Joe came along, in time to save Hoss from a worse beating, only to get shot himself.\u201d Ben glanced at the stairs, wondering how his sons were. \u201cThey must have been scared off when Joe killed one of them, not realising that he had the payroll in his possession.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe\u2019s probably lucky they didn\u2019t realise that,\u201d Adam commented. \u201cBoth Joe and Hoss might have died, if they had realised.\u201d<\/p>\n

A sigh shook Ben. \u201cI think you\u2019re right,\u201d he agreed. \u201cBut we won\u2019t know for sure till we can ask your brothers.\u201d He forced himself to take a bite of the food in front of him. Thoughts of his injured sons intruded once more and he found it difficult to eat, knowing that Hoss was up there, with pillows on either side of his head to prevent movement, and Joe was fighting infection and blood loss. Yet what good would he be to his sons, if he were to become sick himself through not eating? Glancing at Adam, he saw that his oldest son was fighting the same battle. \u201cHow much to you think we\u2019ll have to eat to please Hop Sing?\u201d he joked.<\/p>\n

Giving his father a long look, Adam replied, \u201cAll of it!\u201d<\/p>\n

*******************
\nJoe was awake when Ben went back in. Adam had gone to sit with Hoss, whom they were still rousing every couple of hours. \u201cWell, hello, young man,\u201d Ben said, warmly. \u201cYou\u2019ve decided to wake up again, have you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHi, Pa,\u201d Joe replied. His voice sounded breathy, and Ben stroked his forehead, feeling the heat still there, but it seemed to him that the fever was down slightly. He eagerly gulped down the water Ben offered him. \u201cHow\u2019s Hoss?\u201d he asked, fearfully.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s going to be all right,\u201d Ben avowed. \u201cHe\u2019s got a fractured skull, and has to keep still, but he\u2019ll be fine, I\u2019m sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA fractured skull?\u201d Joe echoed, dismayed. His eyes were wide. \u201cI didn\u2019t hurt him bringing him home, did I?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, son, you did the right thing!\u201d Ben hastened to assure him. \u201cAlthough how you managed that while wounded is beyond me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI used Cochise to help me pull Hoss into the wagon,\u201d Joe explained. He shifted position gingerly and winced.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan you tell me what happened?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n

Slowly, Joe told about seeing the men in the distance, and recognising Hoss. \u201cI didn\u2019t know who those men were, Pa, but I couldn\u2019t leave Hoss alone to face them,\u201d he explained, earnestly. \u201cI fired in the air, and one of them shot at me. I killed another, and one of them hit Hoss on the head, twice. I think I got hit, too. As I blacked out, I heard one of them say something about the payroll.\u201d He looked miserably at Ben. \u201cI\u2019m sorry it got stolen,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt didn\u2019t get stolen,\u201d Ben replied. \u201cWe think those men thought Hoss had the payroll, as I had originally meant him to go and get it. They didn\u2019t check your saddlebags.\u201d He thought for a moment. \u201cJoe, did you recognise any of those men?\u201d<\/p>\n

Making a face, Joe shook his head. \u201cI\u2019d never seen them before,\u201d he answered. \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause we think they were new hands. They wouldn\u2019t recognise you, because you weren\u2019t here when they were hired, which is why they didn\u2019t check your saddlebags. They must have thought you were just some passer-by that happened along.\u201d He smiled. \u201cHoss was lucky you came along.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow could they?\u201d Joe cried. He was furiously angry. \u201cDon\u2019t worry, Pa, I\u2019ll get those men! They\u2019ll pay for what they did to Hoss!\u201d<\/p>\n

Frowning, Ben said, sternly, \u201cI don\u2019t want to hear you talking like that, Joe! The law will deal with those men! You aren\u2019t in any fit state to get out of bed, far less go hunting for them!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I know what they look like!\u201d Joe protested, mutinously.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter!\u201d Ben replied. \u201cYou\u2019re staying in that bed until the doctor says you can get up, is that clear, young man?\u201d He phrased it like a question, but Joe was left in no doubt it was an order.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir,\u201d he muttered, sulkily.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen we\u2019ll say no more,\u201d Ben soothed, in a softer tone. He began to prepare Joe for the night.<\/p>\n

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

By next morning, Joe\u2019s fever was down, and despite being as weak as a kitten, he was agitating about getting out of bed. Adam was a good deal less patient about dealing with this little foible than their parent was, and didn\u2019t bother with any cajoling; he said a flat \u2018no\u2019! Joe promptly sulked, but Adam was indifferent to that as well and Joe began to feel very hard done by.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to see Hoss!\u201d he objected, trying once more to push the covers back.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot until Paul says you can!\u201d Adam snapped. \u201cNow, do what you\u2019re told! Do you want to burst those stitches?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Joe muttered, although at that point he couldn\u2019t have cared if he did. He wanted to see Hoss for himself, and make sure that his adored older brother really was awake and all right. Joe knew how serious a fractured skull could be and he was terrified that Adam and Ben were keeping things from him because he hadn\u2019t been well.<\/p>\n

It was about then that Joe began to hatch his plans. To begin with, he only intended to go and visit Hoss, but when Roy Coffee, the sheriff, arrived, Joe\u2019s plans began to change.<\/p>\n

\u201cI found the man that Joe shot, still lyin\u2019 where he said, Ben,\u201d Roy informed them. \u201cI ain\u2019t sure which o\u2019 them men he was. He had fair hair, blue eyes, no distinguishin\u2019 marks, as they say.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSounds like Rutter,\u201d Adam hazarded, after a moment\u2019s thought.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou could be right,\u201d Ben agreed. \u201cThe problem is, Roy, we don\u2019t remember what they looked like.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember,\u201d Joe responded. \u201cI can tell you.\u201d They all turned to look at him. \u201cOne of them had dark hair and eyes and a big moustache.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cForbes?\u201d Ben guessed. Adam shrugged.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of them had a brown beard,\u201d Joe went on.<\/p>\n

\u201cHardy,\u201d Adam stated, with more assurance this time.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd the other one was very thin and tall,\u201d Joe concluded, slightly surprised at how much detail he had absorbed.<\/p>\n

\u201cMust be Wallace,\u201d Ben agreed. \u201cHe had grey hair.\u201d
\n\u201cThem descriptions ain\u2019t much ta go on,\u201d Roy muttered doubtfully. \u201cWell, I\u2019ll send \u2018em out, but don\u2019t expect anythin\u2019 ta come o\u2019 \u2018em.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAren\u2019t you sending out a posse?\u201d Joe wanted to know.<\/p>\n

\u201cAin\u2019t much point, Little Joe,\u201d Roy replied. \u201cWe know which way they went, but we ain\u2019t none o\u2019 us seen \u2018em. Real hard to arrest someone you ain\u2019t seen.\u201d<\/p>\n

This was perfectly reasonable, but didn\u2019t satisfy Joe. \u201cBut I\u2019ve seen them,\u201d he persisted. \u201cAnd so have Pa and Adam, even if they can\u2019t remember them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shooting a glance at Ben, Roy shook his head. \u201cIt jist ain\u2019t practical, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Coming to his friend\u2019s aid, Ben added, \u201cThat\u2019s enough, Joe. Roy knows what\u2019s best. I know it\u2019s disappointing that we\u2019re not going to catch them, but that\u2019s the way it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Subsiding mutinously, Joe said no more. But it didn\u2019t stop him hatching his plans.<\/p>\n

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

When his supper was brought to him that night, Joe made an effort to eat everything on the tray. Ben looked delighted when he saw the clean plate. \u201cYou must be feeling better,\u201d he commented, although Joe still looked pale to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am,\u201d Joe agreed, although he was still weak. \u201cPa, please let me see Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Joe,\u201d Ben said, firmly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy not?\u201d Joe cried. \u201cHe is all right, isn\u2019t he?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, of course he is,\u201d Ben replied, impatiently.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen why won\u2019t you let me see him?\u201d Joe demanded, almost in tears. \u201cPa, please.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking for the first time beyond Joe\u2019s obvious weakness, Ben saw the fear lurking deep within the green eyes. He realised that Joe had not seen Hoss since he had brought him home, unconscious, the day before. Although Ben had been refusing to let Joe see Hoss because of Joe\u2019s injury, he realised now that Joe had misconstrued their concern. \u201cAll right,\u201d he agreed, reluctantly. \u201cBut let me help you.\u201d<\/p>\n

As he rose to his feet with Ben\u2019s help, Joe was dismayed by how weak he felt. His head swam for a moment, and he despised the way he had to hold onto Ben\u2019s arm as he shuffled slowly over to Hoss\u2019 room. Those few steps were exhausting, and he was glad to drop into the chair by Hoss\u2019 bed.<\/p>\n

The big man was awake and he rolled his eyes slowly over to Joe. \u201cHi, Shortshanks,\u201d he cried, cheerfully. \u201cI thought you was dead for sure out there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I thought you were dead,\u201d Joe returned, tears of thankfulness in his eyes. \u201cHow\u2019re you feelin\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMa head\u2019s some sore,\u201d Hoss admitted, \u201cbut apart from that I\u2019m as right as rain. Don\u2019t you worry none, Punkin. Jist get better.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m all right,\u201d Joe assured him. \u201cHow long do you have to lie there?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA few more days,\u201d replied Hoss sounding resigned. \u201cTill the doc sez I c\u2019n git up.\u201d<\/p>\n

All at once, Joe was angry again. He tried to keep it hidden from Hoss and thought he had succeeded, but as he was helped back to his own room, Ben said, \u201cJoe, you aren\u2019t still thinking about going after those men, are you? You know you\u2019re not up to it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLook what they did to Hoss!\u201d Joe cried. \u201cTell me it doesn\u2019t make you angry, Pa!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course it does!\u201d Ben scolded. \u201cBut there\u2019s nothing I can do about it, Joe. I need to be here with you and Hoss, and so does Adam. We could hunt for a long time for those men, and still never find them.\u201d Ben swung Joe\u2019s legs into the bed and pulled the covers up. \u201cJoe, there\u2019s nothing we can do about it. Don\u2019t brood on it. You saved Hoss\u2019 life and you kept the payroll safe. Let\u2019s just be thankful that you boys weren\u2019t hurt any worse than you are, and put it behind us. All right?\u201d<\/p>\n

Muttering something under his breath, his eyes closed, Joe thought abut those men. More than anything, he wanted them to pay for hurting his brother. He felt Ben\u2019s hand upon his head, brushing back that errant curl, and opened his eyes again. Ben was looking at him with deep concern. Joe found a smile. \u201cI\u2019m all right,\u201d he insisted. \u201cI just want to rest.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smiling back, Ben left Joe in peace. But as he slipped into slumber, Joe was still thinking about those men.<\/p>\n

It wanted only a couple of hours to dawn when Joe slipped from his bed and began to dress quietly. He had slept the previous evening away and now felt wide awake. It was then that he made the decision to go hunting for the men who had bushwhacked Hoss.<\/p>\n

By the time he was easing out of his room, his boots in his hand, Joe was exhausted and shaking. He had no idea how he was going to accomplish everything he wanted to do, but his pig-headed determination wouldn\u2019t let him admit defeat and so he kept going. Joe knew there was going to be trouble when he got back, but he didn\u2019t let that deter him. He was the only one who could reliably identify the men and he intended to bring them to justice.<\/p>\n

It hadn\u2019t escaped Joe\u2019s notice that his father thought he was going after the men to gun them down in cold blood. Joe had been too tired to protest about that, but it had never been his intention. He wanted to find them and bring them in. Joe had learned the lesson about summary justice all too well when Hoss had been shot by Red Twilight, and Adam had prevented Joe from killing Red in a fit of anger and vengeance. But Joe was determined that he wasn\u2019t going to allow those men to get away with attacking Hoss scot-free.<\/p>\n

After pulling on his boots on the porch, Joe rested there in the rocker for a few minutes. It was colder than he had realised, and for a moment, he wished he had his big coat. But he couldn\u2019t go back inside now. Dawn was beginning to lighten the eastern sky and Joe knew that he had no more than an hour before Ben would be wakening.<\/p>\n

He didn\u2019t know how long it took him to saddle Cochise, but his side was throbbing despite the care he had taken. Probing gently, Joe decided that he hadn\u2019t burst any stitches. He led his horse from the barn and out of the yard before mounting and riding gently away.<\/p>\n

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

As it happened, Joe got more time for his getaway than he had expected. Ben had decided to let Joe sleep a little longer that morning, seeing how tired he had been after his short trip the night before. So when he went in to give Joe his breakfast, finding the empty bed came as a nasty and distinct shock.<\/p>\n

Hurrying downstairs, Ben caught Adam before he had the chance to reach the barn. \u201cJoe\u2019s gone!\u201d Ben reported, tersely.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d Adam gasped. \u201cHow? When?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Ben admitted. \u201cBut I can guess where he\u2019s going!\u201d Ben wrung his hands. \u201cWhen I get my hands on that boy\u2026!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll go after him, Pa,\u201d Adam told him. \u201cDon\u2019t worry, I\u2019ll bring him back.\u201d He hurried to the barn.<\/p>\n

\u201cBe careful, son,\u201d Ben called after him and went reluctantly back inside, leaving his heart with his missing son.<\/p>\n

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

Pain came in dizzying waves, but Joe refused to stop and rest. He knew that if he did, he probably wouldn\u2019t get going again. In retrospect, Joe realised how foolish he had been, but he was driven to find those men. The only thing in his favour was that he was stronger than he had been the day before.<\/p>\n

A short way along the trail he was following, Joe came across the remains of a campfire. He didn\u2019t dare to dismount, but he didn\u2019t need to to see that the fire still smoked a little. The men had travelled barely two miles from where they had attacked Hoss before they made camp, and they had felt secure enough to stay there for two nights. Hope flared in Joe\u2019s heart. They didn\u2019t have much of a head start on him after all.<\/p>\n

Loosening his gun in his holster, Joe rode on.<\/p>\n

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

Since he was able to travel much faster than Joe, Adam found the deserted camp site only a short time after his brother had ridden on. Adam did dismount and touch the fire to confirm what his eyes told him. The ashes weren\u2019t quite cold. Looking around, Adam could see no immediate sign of Joe, and he swiftly mounted up to follow along the tracks, praying that he found his brother before his brother found those men.<\/p>\n

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

A murmur of voices from ahead alerted Joe that he had found his quarry. It was almost noon and he could vaguely smell a fire on the crisp air. Joe guessed that the men had stopped for some lunch. Taking a deep breath, he slid down from Cochise and tethered the horse. Drawing his gun, Joe eased his way through the trees until he could see them clearly.<\/p>\n

As his eye fell on the three men, Joe suddenly didn\u2019t feel any pain at all. All he felt was anger. Boldly, he stepped into view, his gun drawn. \u201cPut your hands up!\u201d he ordered, coldly.<\/p>\n

The men by the fire all froze, gazing at Joe as though they were seeing a ghost. It took a few seconds for them to recognise the young man in front of them, but when they did, they each reacted by reaching for their guns. Joe fired a warning shot into the ground.<\/p>\n

Something about the pale young man warned them not to try for their guns again. Perhaps it was Joe\u2019s set face; perhaps it was something in his cold green eyes. But at any rate, none of them were keen to take him on. They slowly raised their hands.<\/p>\n

But now that he had the men, Joe was faced with a dilemma. How was he going to get them back to the sheriff? Glancing around, Joe saw the horses standing a few feet away. Still keeping his gun trained on them, Joe edged round to the nearest horse and lifted the rope from the saddle.<\/p>\n

A look was exchanged among the men. Joe saw it. He threw the rope at the nearest man. \u201cTie the others\u2019 hands behind their backs,\u201d he ordered. \u201cGood and tight.\u201d<\/p>\n

For an instant, rebellion was on his face, but Joe simply lifted his gun a fraction higher. \u201cDo it!\u201d he ordered.
\nUnraveling the rope, the man walked slowly over to his friend, the one with the beard. Hardy was his name, Joe thought. And the man who was doing the tying was Forbes, leaving the other individual as Wallace.<\/p>\n

But the momentary distraction would cost him dear. Forbes saw the youth\u2019s mind stray and threw the end of the rope into Joe\u2019s face. Joe\u2019s gun jerked up and went off harmlessly into the air as Forbes threw himself at Joe.<\/p>\n

There was no way he was going to win this fight, Joe knew. He had barely been able to stand upright, and his shaking hand had been of considerable concern to him. But Joe kept his head. He brought up the hand with the gun in it and struck Forbes alongside his head. The blow was nowhere near as hard as Joe would have liked, but it did the job. Forbes slid off Joe to the ground.<\/p>\n

But it still wouldn\u2019t have been enough if Adam hadn\u2019t been so close. When he heard the first shot fired, he hurried Sport and quickly closed the gap between them. He dived into the clearing as Joe knocked Forbes out.<\/p>\n

Hardy and Wallace were both on their feet, but Adam\u2019s sudden appearance, standing over Joe, brought them to a halt. \u201cCartwright!\u201d Hardy hissed.<\/p>\n

\u201cPut up your hands,\u201d Adam ordered. He kept his eyes and his gun fixed on the men. \u201cJoe, are you all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Joe replied, but his voice sounded strained. He struggled to sit up, resisting the urge to clap his hand to his side, which he could feel was bleeding. He levelled his gun at the men. \u201cTie them up, Adam,\u201d he urged. \u201cThe rope is there.\u201d<\/p>\n

It didn\u2019t take Adam long to immobilise the men, and once they were secure, he hurried over to kneel beside Joe. \u201cWhat were you playing at, you idiot!\u201d he chided as he pulled open Joe\u2019s coat.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can see what I was playing at!\u201d Joe snapped. Despite his best intentions, he leaned against Adam. \u201cI was finding the men who bushwhacked our brother!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBrother?\u201d Forbes gasped. He began to fight against his bonds. \u201cThey\u2019ll kill us, boys!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t be stupid!\u201d Joe retorted before Adam could say anything. \u201cYou\u2019re going to the sheriff.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leaning back, Adam searched Joe\u2019s face. Frowning, puzzled, Joe looked up at him. \u201cWhat?\u201d he asked. Pain was washing over him in waves, threatening to pull him under.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs that why you came after them?\u201d Adam asked. \u201cTo take them in?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course it is,\u201d Joe confirmed. \u201cDid you really think I was coming after them to get my vengeance on them? After what happened with Red Twilight? Did you think I hadn\u2019t learned my lesson?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re so impulsive, Joe,\u201d Adam apologised. \u201cAnd you were so angry, I didn\u2019t know what to think.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were partially right,\u201d Joe allowed, leaning back against his brother and trying not to groan with pain. \u201cI did want vengeance, but a different kind of vengeance. I wanted them brought to justice; not lynched.\u201d He glanced over at their captives. \u201cI wanted them to pay for what they did to Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey will,\u201d Adam assured him. \u201cThey will.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

When Adam and Joe finally reached home in the late afternoon, Ben was beside himself with worry. When he heard the horses clattering into the yard, he hurried out and saw that at least part of his worry was justified. Joe was slumped over his horse\u2019s neck and Adam was helping him down.<\/p>\n

\u201cHi, Pa,\u201d Adam offered. \u201cWe caught them.\u201d He offered a grin that Ben thought was inappropriate.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut at what cost?\u201d he snapped back, as he took Joe from his brother.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne that I was more than willing to pay,\u201d Joe croaked and tried a crooked smile. He failed to charm his father, and tried to stand up straighter. He couldn\u2019t, and Ben tightened his grip.<\/p>\n

As Ben helped Joe across the yard, he could hear Adam organising some men to take the prisoners into town and fetch the doctor while they were at it. Joe panted his way upstairs and while Ben stripped off his clothes, he lay back, exhaustion glazing his eyes. \u201cI\u2019d rather you just said it, Pa,\u201d Joe muttered.<\/p>\n

\u201cSaid what?\u201d Ben asked, as he helped his son slide under the covers.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhatever it is you\u2019re thinking that\u2019s making you scowl at me like that,\u201d Joe replied, and Ben couldn\u2019t help but smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was wondering if you\u2019d ever learn to do what you are told!\u201d Ben told him, but the twinkle in his eye belied the sternness of his tone. He sat down by Joe and looked at him. \u201cWhy, Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey had to be brought to justice,\u201d Joe answered simply. \u201cI didn\u2019t go after them to kill them, Pa. I wanted to bring them in so they would stand trial. And when I saw Hoss yesterday, I realised I had to do it. They could\u2019ve killed him, Pa,\u201d and Joe\u2019s eyes filled with tears. \u201cIf Hoss didn\u2019t have such a hard head, they could\u2019ve killed him. I can\u2019t\u2026\u201d Joe couldn\u2019t bring himself to go on, but Ben knew the end of the sentence anyway. \u2018I can\u2019t imagine life without Hoss.\u2019<\/p>\n

Blinking back tears, Ben realised that his anger had evaporated. Oh sure, he was still unhappy that Joe had decided to go off hunting for these men alone and sick, but he fully understood why he had gone. Joe couldn\u2019t bear the thought of anyone else losing someone they cared about. \u201cI understand, son,\u201d he whispered.<\/p>\n

Those words were the absolution Joe had been waiting for and his body relaxed. He slid into a deep sleep.<\/p>\n

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

The trial was short. With Both Joe and Hoss as witnesses, the three men had no chance. They were each sentenced to 10 years in prison.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad that\u2019s over,\u201d Joe stated, as they left the court house. Ben helped him into the buggy, for three weeks after his \u2018mad escapade\u2019, Joe was still weak. His stitches had had to be redone and a mild infection had set in, confining Joe to more time in bed and when he finally was allowed up, he felt completely drained.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo am I,\u201d agreed Ben. Hoss nodded his agreement, too.<\/p>\n

\u201cYa don\u2019 need ta worry about Shortshanks here runnin\u2019 off fer a while,\u201d Hoss jested, heavily. \u201cAin\u2019t no bushwhackers around needin\u2019 caught!\u201d<\/p>\n

They all laughed as they drove off, but Ben was thinking about his sons, and the way they protected each other. It warmed his heart to know that they cared for each other so deeply.<\/p>\n

The End<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

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

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

Summary: \u00a0After Hoss is bushwhacked and badly injured, Joe vows to find the men who did it, even though he was injured, too.<\/p>\n

Rated: K+ (8,300 words)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":45,"featured_media":13100,"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_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[23,41,1007],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7112","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-hurtcomfort","category-joe-cartwright","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-41-id","wpcat-1007-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":2309,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Promises-to-Keeep.png?fit=759%2C568&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":13984,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=13984","url_meta":{"origin":7112,"position":0},"title":"The Mission (by Susan G)","author":"SusanG","date":"December 12, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 Ben and Joe are robbed and left afoot in the desert with the nearest outpost about twenty miles away.\u00a0 Their journey is complicated when Joe is bitten by a scorpion. Word Count: \u00a010,000 \u00a0Rated: \u00a0T","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":6768,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=6768","url_meta":{"origin":7112,"position":1},"title":"A Deadly Day (by rosecartwright)","author":"rosecartwright","date":"November 4, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: \u00a0Joe is home sick, but things go downhill for this young Cartwright. \u00a0 Rated:\u00a0K+ (635 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/2-joe.jpg?fit=237%2C221&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":7623,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=7623","url_meta":{"origin":7112,"position":2},"title":"Seeing An Angel (by DJK)","author":"DJK","date":"May 9, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0A girl from Marie\u2019s past has something for Little Joe. Rated:\u00a0T\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Word count:\u00a0 1351","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/guardian-angel.jpg?fit=250%2C233&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":14988,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=14988","url_meta":{"origin":7112,"position":3},"title":"Five Rounds to a Quick Recovery (by Starlite)","author":"starlite","date":"September 14, 2000","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0Adam is injured in a freak accident, will his family survive his recuperation? Rated:\u00a0 G\u00a0 (7,080 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Adam Cartwright"","block_context":{"text":"Adam Cartwright","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=1005"},"img":{"alt_text":"Elizabeth, my love","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Fragments.jpg?fit=577%2C467&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Fragments.jpg?fit=577%2C467&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Fragments.jpg?fit=577%2C467&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":19,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=19","url_meta":{"origin":7112,"position":4},"title":"A Change of Direction (by Dodo)","author":"Dodo","date":"April 6, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Rated: K+ \u00a0Word Count:\u00a0 15,520 A WHN for The Code \u2013 I have borrowed a few of the characters from that episode.Summary: Joe Cartwright had gone ahead against his fathers wishes and had a showdown with gunslinger Dan Taggert after being goaded into a gunfight. Bets had been laid that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/07-2.jpg?fit=640%2C477&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/07-2.jpg?fit=640%2C477&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/07-2.jpg?fit=640%2C477&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6784,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=6784","url_meta":{"origin":7112,"position":5},"title":"Little Joe Cartwright, Thief (by pbeaking)","author":"pbeaking","date":"May 4, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: Little Joe finds himself in trouble when he is caught stealing from the mercantile. There\u2019s no denying that he did do it, but why? 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