{"id":7120,"date":"2005-04-27T13:29:57","date_gmt":"2005-04-27T17:29:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=7120"},"modified":"2026-07-30T14:31:29","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T18:31:29","slug":"a-stranger-passed-this-way","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=7120","title":{"rendered":"A Stranger Passed This Way (by Rona)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary: \u00a0<\/span>Epilogue. What happened when the Cartwrights went back into the house at the end of the episode.<\/p>\n

Rated:\u00a0 K (2,440 words)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A Stranger Passed This Way<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As Hoss and their father went into the house, Joe looked at Adam. Tears stood in the younger man\u2019s eyes and Adam clasped Joe\u2019s shoulder in unspoken sympathy. Hoss was returned to them, but they both felt sorry for the couple leaving their property. Neither was quite sure what to say to the other. Joe opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He sighed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know,\u201d Adam muttered. He sighed, too. \u201cI don\u2019t know what to say, but I feel I ought to say something. I wonder why we aren\u2019t turning cartwheels in delight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe both feel sorry for Mrs Vandervoort?\u201d Joe suggested.<\/p>\n

\u201cCould be,\u201d Adam nodded. \u201cLet\u2019s go and join Hoss for breakfast.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

The only person who had a normal appetite that morning was Hoss. From time to time, he would cast a look at the various members of his family, a puzzled frown on his face. He knew something was wrong \u2013 he just didn\u2019t know what.<\/p>\n

For his part, Ben was as perplexed as his sons as to why he wasn\u2019t cock-a-hoop over Hoss recovering his memory. It was the thing he had wanted more than anything and yet, although he was glad that Hoss was better \u2013 more than glad \u2013 he couldn\u2019t quite find it in his heart to rejoice. And as Hop Sing cleared the table, he suddenly knew why.<\/p>\n

He still had to tell Hoss what had happened.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome and sit down, son,\u201d he urged Hoss, gesturing towards the sofa.<\/p>\n

Frowning again, Hoss did as he was asked without comment. Ben sat down on the coffee table, while Adam and Joe hovered helplessly in the background. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong, Pa?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/p>\n

Wringing his hands, Ben wasn\u2019t sure where to start. \u201cDo you know what day it is?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2019Course I do!\u201d Hoss replied, half-smiling. \u201cWhy, it\u2019s Thursday.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben fervently hoped that Joe\u2019s wince had been visible only to him and that only Adam had heard it. But he couldn\u2019t afford to look at Joe now. Hoss was the one who needed his attention. \u201cHoss, it\u2019s Sunday,\u201d he corrected gently.<\/p>\n

\u201cSunday?\u201d The frown was back. \u201cPa, I don\u2019 unnerstand. How can it be Sunday?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you remember going to buy some horses?\u201d Ben prompted.<\/p>\n

\u201cSure,\u201d Hoss assured him, but he sounded slightly doubtful now. \u201cJoe weren\u2019t feelin\u2019 too good, so I went instead.\u201d Hoss looked at Joe, who nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn your way home, you were attacked and robbed,\u201d Ben explained, his hand resting on Hoss\u2019 leg. \u201cYou were missing. I went looking for you and I eventually found you thanks to a Doctor Hickman. He told me\u2026\u201d Ben faltered, glanced quickly at Joe and Adam and forced himself to go on. \u201cHe told me you had amnesia, due to a blow on the head. You didn\u2019t remember me, Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa\u2026 no\u2026\u201d Hoss protested, stunned by the news. \u201cI\u2026 I\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Vandervoorts found you,\u201d Ben went on, knowing that Hoss had to hear it all at once. \u201cThey called you Hendrick, after their dead son. You were going to live with them in Michigan, in the Dutch community.\u201d<\/p>\n

A vague memory flickered and failed to catch. Hoss glanced involuntarily over his shoulder. \u201cThem folks? But she said\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Ben agreed. \u201cShe told you that they had stopped for directions. But that wasn\u2019t true, Hoss. You see\u2026\u201d Ben stopped and drew in a calming breath. \u201cYou regained your memory when your mother\u2019s picture got knocked over.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2026 I almost hit you,\u201d Hoss remembered, horror in his voice. \u201cI was angry \u2013 I wanted you to pick it up\u2026\u201d His voice trailed off and his frown deepened.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t know exactly what happened to you, Hoss,\u201d Ben went on as steadily as he could manage. This was horribly difficult. \u201cBut I found your campsite. It was a mess. Your hat was all trampled and the picture of your mother that you usually carry was lying on the ground, the glass broken. That\u2019s when we knew for sure that you were in trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, stop!\u201d Hoss cried, jumping to his feet and hurrying away from his family. Joe made a move towards him, but Adam stopped his younger brother. Hoss had just had a lot of information to absorb \u2013 he needed time to assimilate it all. In running to the other side of the room, Hoss was trying to run away from the information he had just been given, not his family. Hoss probably didn\u2019t know that \u2013 all he knew was that he had to get away just for a moment.<\/p>\n

Silence reigned in the room for several minutes while Hoss stood with his back to the family. The tension in the room could have been cut with a knife. Joe was visibly quivering and Adam placed his hand on Joe\u2019s shoulder again.<\/p>\n

Slowly, Hoss turned. His face was chalk-white and Ben resolved to get Doc Martin out to the ranch as soon as possible to check his son over. Hoss had been badly injured a few days before \u2013 perhaps he should still be in bed \u2013 perhaps he had over-taxed himself lifting the heavy furniture into the Vandervoorts\u2019 wagon. Ben wanted nothing more than to rush to his son\u2019s side, but he forced himself to remain still, awaiting a cue from Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was\u2026 was two men,\u201d Hoss stuttered. \u201cThey wanted the money. I gave them it, but\u2026 one o\u2019 them\u2026 one o\u2019 them found Mama\u2019s picture.\u201d Tears stood in Hoss\u2019 eyes. \u201cHe\u2026 he threw it down an\u2019\u2026 an\u2019 the glass broke. I tol\u2019 him ta\u2026 ta pick it up\u2026\u201d Hoss swallowed, looking beseechingly at Ben. \u201cPa, I was angry at him. I\u2026 I wanted ta hurt him\u2026\u201d The big man buried his face in his hands. \u201cOh, Pa!\u201d he sobbed.<\/p>\n

In an instant, Ben was at Hoss\u2019 side, his hands on his son\u2019s shoulders, drawing the bigger man towards him, offering what comfort he could. \u201cOf course you were angry, Hoss,\u201d he soothed. \u201cThey were doing you wrong. Anger is natural in that situation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I wanted ta hurt him!\u201d Hoss cried, as though Ben wasn\u2019t listening. \u201cAn\u2019 that was wrong!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWanting to hurt him and actually hurting him are two different things,\u201d Ben reminded Hoss, his heart aching for the man he held in his hands. \u201cI know you, Hoss. I don\u2019t think you would have hurt him if you had got hold of him.\u201d He wondered if this was why Hoss had had such a strong reaction to the suggestion that they might know who he was. \u201cCome and sit down,\u201d Ben suggested. \u201cJoe, get Hoss some water, please.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Joe bounded into the kitchen, relieved to have something concrete to do, Hoss stumbled over to the sofa and sank into it as though exhausted. Ben could well understand that his son could feel that way. He certainly did.<\/p>\n

Slowly sipping the water, colour began to trickle back into Hoss\u2019 face. The tension in the room had ebbed slightly and Joe sat down on the arm of the sofa, next to Hoss. He looked as though he wanted to say something, but he remained silent, following Hoss\u2019 lead.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019 unnerstand,\u201d Hoss admitted at last. His voice was hoarse with unshed tears. \u201cHow come I didn\u2019 know I was home? How come I didn\u2019 know ya right off?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Ben replied. \u201cNone of us really understand the way the human brain works. We don\u2019t really know why someone can lose their memory. Doctor Hickman told me that sometimes, memories come back when something familiar is seen, or something happens. Other times, amnesiacs never regain their memories and no one knows why.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see.\u201d Hoss nodded slowly, clearly thinking deeply about what Ben had told him. \u201cHow did the\u2026 the Vandervoorts know who I was?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

This was the bit Ben had been dreading. He didn\u2019t know how Hoss was going to react to what he was about to learn. \u201cI went to their farm to ask if you had been seen. Mrs Vandervoort said no. I then contacted Dr Hickman, who told me about you being with the Vandervoorts. We confronted them and discovered that they were going to take you to Michigan. I persuaded them to stop here for the night to allow you the chance to see your home in the hope that that would jog your memory.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd if it didn\u2019?\u201d Hoss enquired, frowning hard.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoc Hickman had advised me that pushing too hard might do you more harm than good,\u201d Ben went on, evading the question for the moment. \u201cSo I couldn\u2019t come right out and tell you. I offered, but you grew distressed, so I didn\u2019t push you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTell me, Pa,\u201d Hoss commanded, his voice getting louder. \u201cWhat were you gonna do if\u2019n my memory didn\u2019 come back?\u201d<\/p>\n

Swallowing, Ben told Hoss the truth, the truth that would have been the hardest thing he had ever had to do. \u201cI would have let you go with the Vandervoorts,\u201d he answered as steadily as he could.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow could ya?\u201d Hoss cried, leaping to his feet. \u201cHow could ya let me go without sayin\u2019 anythin\u2019?\u201d He pushed past Adam, almost knocking over his older brother, and charged out of the house.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss!\u201d Ben shouted, his despairing cry not slowing down his son\u2019s pace at all. He started to follow Hoss, but Joe stopped him.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet me, Pa,\u201d he offered quietly. \u201cLet me talk to him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe\u2026\u201d Ben sank down onto the table again. \u201cAll right, son. All right.\u201d<\/p>\n

As he stepped past Adam, Joe caught his older brother\u2019s eye. No words were spoken, but they each knew what the other was going to do. Joe hurried to the door to catch Hoss. Adam sat down beside Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cI did what I thought was best, Adam,\u201d Ben whispered.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know that, Pa,\u201d Adam soothed. \u201cAnd Hoss will come to understand, too. He\u2019s had a bad shock and he isn\u2019t thinking right now \u2013 he\u2019s just feeling. Joe will sort him out, don\u2019t worry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope so,\u201d Ben sighed and closed his eyes wearily.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cGo away, Joe,\u201d Hoss ordered as he heard the footsteps entering the barn.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t do that, big brother,\u201d Joe replied. He approached Hoss slowly. Now that he was here, he had no idea what he planned to say.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019 wanna talk!\u201d Hoss snapped.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood,\u201d Joe responded. \u201cThen you just listen. Hoss, Pa didn\u2019t want to let you go. He wanted you to stay here, in your home. But he also wanted what was best for you and the best thing seemed to be to let you go with the Vandervoorts. They were the only people you knew, Hoss. You didn\u2019t know who we were.\u201d<\/p>\n

He had Hoss\u2019 attention now. \u201cDo you know how hard it was for us?\u201d he asked and his voice cracked with the remembered pain. \u201cWe had to pretend that you were nothing to us, because we didn\u2019t know what forcing you to remember would do to you. Pa tried everything he could to jog your memory, but when it seemed that you were never going to remember, he agreed to let you go with the Vandervoorts. Do you know what that decision cost him, Hoss?\u201d Now, the tears escaped Joe\u2019s control. \u201cHe was heartbroken. He told Mrs Vandervoort that even if he had a dozen sons, he would hold you no less dear to him. Hoss, letting you go almost killed Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe\u2026\u201d Hoss murmured contritely, but Joe ploughed on.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam and I wanted to force you to remember. Pa wouldn\u2019t let us because forcing you could have hurt you. So even though it was hurting us \u2013 killing us \u2013 to let you go, we had to do it, Hoss. We had to.\u201d Joe ran out of words and turned away, wiping at the betraying tears on his cheeks.<\/p>\n

Shaken, Hoss reached out and touched Joe\u2019s shoulder, hesitating only a moment before briefly embracing his younger brother. \u201cI never thought about what you were goin\u2019 through,\u201d he admitted. \u201cI kinda thought this only affected me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow could it?\u201d Joe asked. He looked up into Hoss\u2019 face. \u201cWe\u2019re a family, Hoss. What happens to one happens to us all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI gotta apologise,\u201d Hoss muttered. He rubbed a hand over his face. \u201cI jist wasn\u2019 thinkin\u2019. Why didn\u2019 I see Pa was hurtin\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t be too hard on yourself,\u201d Joe scolded lightly. \u201cYou did get a shock today, too.\u201d He gave a shaky laugh. \u201cThere\u2019s an understatement!\u201d He clapped a hand on Hoss\u2019 shoulder. \u201cCome on, let\u2019s go back inside.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019d ya git so wise?\u201d Hoss wondered aloud as they crossed the yard.<\/p>\n

\u201cNatural talent,\u201d Joe jibed back and they were laughing as they entered the house.<\/p>\n

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

Hoss sobered as he caught sight of the despair on Ben\u2019s face that his father couldn\u2019t quite hide in time. \u201cPa, I\u2019m sorry,\u201d he blurted. \u201cI didn\u2019 mean it. I jist wasn\u2019 thinkin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all right, son,\u201d Ben replied, the burden that had been weighing down his heart suddenly lifted. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt do ta me,\u201d Hoss mourned. \u201cI didn\u2019 see things from your side. It must a bin real hard fer all o\u2019 ya ta see me an\u2019 me not know ya.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was hard,\u201d Adam replied, his voice steady. \u201cBut Pa had to think about what was best for you.\u201d He smiled faintly. \u201cJust like he always does.\u201d<\/p>\n

Without knowing quite how it happened, the Cartwrights found themselves sitting in front of the fire, with Adam, Joe and Ben taking turns on filling Hoss in on the days he had lost. Hoss listened avidly, still finding his emotions shaky, but understanding what his father had done, for love of him.<\/p>\n

It would be a while before they all came to terms with Hoss\u2019 loss of memory. It was not the kind of thing they could get over in a single day. They all found it difficult to understand Mrs Vandervoort\u2019s motives, but everyone felt sorry for her. In the end, she had done the right thing for Hoss, regardless of the pain it cost her. In a way, she had done what Ben had been prepared to do and this gave Hoss a bit more insight into the whole situation.<\/p>\n

With their mutual love for each other, they were able to work through everything and come to an understanding. But the most important thing of all to the Cartwrights was one simple fact.<\/p>\n

Hoss was home.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The end.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary: \u00a0Epilogue. What happened when the Cartwrights went back into the house at the end of the episode.<\/p>\n

Rated:\u00a0 K (2,440 words)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":45,"featured_media":10210,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[1006,13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7120","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hoss-cartwright","category-whn","wpcat-1006-id","wpcat-13-id"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/serious-Hoss.jpg?fit=269%2C298&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7120","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\/45"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7120"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7120\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/10210"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7120"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7120"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7120"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}