<\/p>\n
Joe\u2019s stomach rumbled. That wasn\u2019t surprising. He hadn\u2019t eaten much at supper; he\u2019d been more tired than hungry then. Now he was more hungry than tired. And the smell of bacon was wafting enticingly up the stairs.<\/p>\n Maybe he ought to beat his family to the breakfast table for a change. And maybe Hop Sing would even reward him with a slice of fresh-out-of-the-oven buttermilk bread before breakfast was actually served.<\/p>\n Growing more anxious by the second, Joe dressed quickly. His mouth watered as he imagined slathering butter over a thick slice of that warm bread. He was still slipping into his shirt when he opened his bedroom door, and didn\u2019t even start with the buttons until he reached the stairs. That\u2019s when a banging noise from the kitchen stopped him short.<\/p>\n If Hop Sing had dropped something, he would be angry; but if he\u2019d banged something on purpose, he was already angry.<\/p>\n Sighing, Joe started moving again. One way or the other, Hop Sing was clearly going to be in a foul mood, but Joe was too hungry to let that realization worry him. Maybe he could still sweet-talk the cook into letting him have a slice of bread.<\/p>\n Giving in to a massive yawn as he took the final step, Joe shuffled sleepily forward until he reached the kitchen doorway. \u201cHey, Hop\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n The flashing image of a shadow twisted and kicked out at him\u2014the heel of its foot slammed into Joe\u2019s forehead. He flew backwards until the base of his skull collided with the unforgiving, wooden edge of the dining room table.<\/p>\n An instant later, Joe was on the floor, dazed, wondering how he\u2019d gotten there and trying to blink away a spatter of black spots\u2026<\/p>\n \u2026And hearing fragments of a strange conversation. Two people were talking quietly\u2014the shadow that had attacked him and someone else\u2026another shadow, perhaps, somewhere in the kitchen. And their words were strange because\u2026because they were speaking Cantonese.<\/p>\n Joe was about to call out to Hop Sing when a dark-clothed figure grabbed his collar, yanking him upward. Suddenly he found himself looking into the eyes of a Chinese man he\u2019d never seen before. Leaner than Hop Sing, this man wore a long, narrow mustache that somehow added power to the anger in his eyes. Also unlike Hop Sing, Joe could see that this man\u2019s anger was real. Deadly real.<\/p>\n When a fist cocked back to land another blow, Joe managed to squirm away from it. His shirt ripped as the collar remained in the man\u2019s grip. That shouldn\u2019t have slowed Joe down much, but it did. He was weaker than he should be, thanks to the throbbing in his head. He didn\u2019t get far.<\/p>\n For a timeless moment, Joe tried to collect his thoughts and his breath by focusing on the sounds around him: the light tap of a button skittering across the floor; the sizzle of bacon on the stove\u2026. Then Joe heard something else. He could swear it was the sound of a sword slipping free of its scabbard.<\/p>\n His heart pumping erratically, Joe was pushing himself back to his feet when a hand clamped down onto his shoulder from behind. Reacting more than thinking, Joe rolled out from under it and scrambled forward on hands and knees. By the time his thoughts caught up with him, he realized he\u2019d trapped himself in the kitchen with the stove at his back and two scowling Chinese men standing over him.<\/p>\n And Hop Sing wasn\u2019t there at all.<\/p>\n \u201cMy humble apologies,\u201d the older of the two men said as Joe slowly rose. \u201cOur fight was not with you.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe looked from that man to his attacker. He figured the eldest, the speaker, to be in charge. \u201cWho was it with then?\u201d he asked. \u201cWhere\u2019s Hop Sing?\u201d<\/p>\n The man gave his head one quick shake. \u201cYou have seen too much already. It is better for you to make your journey free of such knowledge.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat journey? Who are you?\u201d<\/p>\n The elder addressing him bowed and backed away, giving room for the younger one\u2026a man wielding a long, curved sword, to step closer. When Joe saw that sword beginning to rise, it was clear what the younger man meant to do with it. Joe had to think fast or he would be dead in a matter of seconds.<\/p>\n Time froze. A pot of fresh coffee was rumbling in a low boil on the stove behind him. Bacon sizzled. And Joe knew of only one thing he could do. He reached backward, jerking away on instinct when his finger touched the handle of the hot cast iron skillet. Then the sword started its downward plunge.<\/p>\n Bracing himself, Joe wrapped his fingers around the blistering handle of the skillet. He couldn\u2019t help but shout out in agony. Dimly wondering if the sizzling sound he heard was still the bacon or his own flesh, he threw the skillet forward, splashing bacon and hot grease into the face of his attacker.<\/p>\n The skillet clattered to the floor. Joe dropped to his knees. And a chaotic kaleidoscope sparkled around him, adding flames to the searing, dizzying fire in his hand. A distant part of him heard another man wailing in agony. There were other shouts then, too, familiar voices that allowed him to believe the worst was passed, even as he knew it wasn\u2019t over at all: his hand was still burning, sizzling like bacon on the stove.<\/p>\n \u201cJoseph!\u201d his pa called to him.<\/p>\n But Joe couldn\u2019t unclamp his teeth enough to respond.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe!\u201d Pa\u2019s hand was on his shoulder. Another was grasping his wrist.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s gone, Pa,\u201d Adam said from the outer doorway. He sounded out of breath. \u201cWe\u2019ll need to wait for sunrise. We\u2019ll never find him out there now.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis one\u2019s passed out,\u201d Hoss said, kneeling beside the swordsman.<\/p>\n Finally taking a deep breath, Joe was grateful to realize the kaleidoscope was beginning to fade. That\u2019s when he took a good, long look at his attacker. The man\u2019s face was as raw as sizzling bacon. The agony that man would feel when he returned to consciousness made Joe suddenly nauseous.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat happened, Joe?\u201d Adam asked. \u201cWhere\u2019s Hop Sing?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Joe answered, surprised to find his voice low and raspy. \u201cI only saw these two.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll get the butter,\u201d Hoss said.<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d Pa answered. \u201cIt\u2019s too severe for that. Brandy. Get the brandy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBrandy?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/p>\n Yes, Brandy<\/em>! Joe shouted inside himself. Just a few minutes ago, coffee would have been the thing, but suddenly brandy sounded awfully good.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll soak a cloth,\u201d Pa answered, \u201cwrap his hand in it. The alcohol should help stave off infec\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cButter, Hoss!\u201d Joe shouted for real then. \u201cGet the butter!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo!\u201d Pa said. \u201cThe butter could make it worse.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAlcohol<\/em> will make it worse!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll get Doctor Martin,\u201d Adam interjected before the argument could continue. \u201cAnd Sheriff Coffee.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, Adam,\u201d Pa said, keeping his eyes on Joe\u2019s.<\/p>\n \u201cI suppose I should take this one with me,\u201d Adam added.<\/p>\n \u201cLeave him,\u201d Pa argued. \u201cI don\u2019t want to delay Paul getting out here. From the looks of that man\u2019s burns\u2026. Well, Paul would have to treat him first.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam sighed. \u201cI imagine so. That was one helluva weapon, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t have much choice.\u201d Joe\u2019s gaze wandered to the dropped sword. \u201cHe was going to kill me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d Adam asked. \u201cWhat they were doing here?\u201d<\/p>\n Joe shook his head. \u201cThe other one gave me his humble apology<\/em>.\u201d He took a long breath in through his teeth as the pain in his hand flared again\u2026and then Pa squeezed his shoulder, somehow fueling Joe\u2019s determination to push past it. \u201cHe\u2026he said their fight wasn\u2019t with me. But\u2026they were going to kill me, anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam\u2019s brows knitted together. \u201cI think I\u2019ll poke around the Chinese part of town for a while after I send Paul and Roy out here.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe didn\u2019t like the sound of that at all. \u201cNo, Adam! They\u2019ll kill you!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know why!\u201d Joe shouted angrily. \u201cBut if they were going to kill me here, they\u2019re sure not going to hesitate in their own community!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJoe\u2019s right, Adam,\u201d Pa said. \u201cLet Roy handle it. Please. Just\u2026come home as soon as you can.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t worry about me,\u201d Adam answered. \u201cWorry about this one\u2019s friend, instead. Something tells me he\u2019s not finished here.\u201d<\/p>\n The swordsman started moaning and Joe couldn\u2019t help but feel a pang of sympathy. \u201cYou might want to give him the brandy instead, Pa. But\u2026let him swallow a good dose of it first.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy humble apologies,\u201d<\/em> that first man had said. \u201cOur fight was not with you.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Then who was it with<\/em>? Joe found himself wondering. Sure couldn\u2019t be Hop Sing. Could it<\/em>?<\/p>\n XxXxX<\/p>\n Joe sat beside the bed in the guestroom downstairs, his gaze locked on the man who would have killed him\u2026the man he had blinded in self defense.<\/p>\n \u201cI had no choice,\u201d<\/em> Joe had told Adam. Even now, he was sure that was true. He\u2019d gone over and over everything that had happened in that kitchen. Whether he\u2019d grabbed the coffee pot or the skillet, one way or another, something like this would have been the result. But sizzling bacon grease was far more damaging than scalding coffee. Joe\u2019s attacker was now permanently disfigured. And disabled\u2014his eyes were burned beyond repair.<\/p>\n \u201cCome on, Joe.\u201d Hoss called Joe\u2019s attention to the open doorway. \u201cYou don\u2019t need to be sittin\u2019 in here. Doc said he\u2019d sleep for a long time with what he gave him. Besides, you ought to be in bed yourself. Between those bumps on your head and\u2014\u201c<\/p>\n \u201cI want to know why, Hoss.\u201d Joe fixed his eyes once more on his attacker.<\/p>\n \u201cWe all want to know that. But we ain\u2019t gonna know anything until he wakes up or Adam comes home with somethin\u2019\u2026or the sheriff and Pa find that other one.\u201d Sighing heavily, Hoss added, \u201cI\u2019ll sure be glad when the sheriff gets back and can take this fella out of here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat about Hop Sing?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhen he comes home, maybe he can tell us somethin\u2019, too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf he comes home.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t you go sayin\u2019 that, Joe. \u2018Course he\u2019s comin\u2019 home.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat if they\u2019ve already killed him?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNow why would anybody want to kill Hop Sing?\u201d<\/p>\n Joe turned to face his brother again. \u201cYou know as well as I do this involves him. It\u2019s why he\u2019s missing.\u201d<\/p>\n Heaving another sigh, Hoss sauntered into the room, digging his hands into his pockets. \u201cYeah,\u201d he said softly, his eyes moving from the floor to the small window. \u201cI know. But it just don\u2019t make sense. Hop Sing would never cause no trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHop Sing cause plenty trouble now.\u201d The voice reaching them from the outer room had an unfamiliar, quiet tone to it, but there was no mistaking the speaker.<\/p>\n \u201cHop Sing!\u201d Hoss went to the smaller man in an instant, grabbing him with both hands. Joe was sure his brother was going to pull Hop Sing into a bone crushing bear hug, but instead Hoss held him firmly in place and started looking at him from head to toe. \u201cWhere you been? We\u2019ve been worried sick! You okay, Hop Sing? They didn\u2019t hurt you none, did they?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHop Sing not hurt. See doctor on road. Worry about family. Worry Hop Sing cause hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, Hop Sing. You didn\u2019t hurt no one. But where you been?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMistah Cartwright, not hurt? Number one son, not hurt?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re fine. Pa\u2019s out with Sheriff Coffee tryin\u2019 to find this fella\u2019s partner. And you, too. And Adam he\u2019s\u2026he\u2019s in Virginia City. Thought maybe he could talk to some friends a\u2019yours, and\u2026you know, try to see if we could find out what\u2019s goin\u2019 on.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo!\u201d Hop Sing hollered. \u201cHoss! Little Joe! You go Virginia City! Bring Mistah Adam home!\u201d Through Hoss\u2019s bulk, Joe caught a glimpse of Hop Sing stabbing his finger toward the front door.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy, Hop Sing?\u201d Hoss asked. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou go! Bring Mistah Adam home!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI was right, wasn\u2019t I?\u201d Joe rose, cradling his burned hand in his other arm to keep it elevated and prevent it from throbbing too severely. \u201cThey\u2019re not going to like Adam asking questions, are they?\u201d<\/p>\n Pushing past Hoss, Hop Sing finally got a good look at Joe. His eyes narrowed at the bruise on Joe\u2019s forehead, then went wide as they landed on Joe\u2019s bandaged hand. \u201cWhat happen Little Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe surprised \u2018em,\u201d Hoss answered before Joe got the chance. \u201cThis fella and that other one. They were gonna kill him, Hop Sing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter,\u201d Joe said quickly. \u201cJust help us understand what\u2019s going on.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHop Sing fault.\u201d When he looked from Joe to Hoss, there was an uncharacteristic sadness in his eyes that bothered Joe maybe even more than his own burned hand. \u201cHop Sing explain,\u201d the cook said softly before taking a deep breath and pulling his back up straight. \u201cAfter<\/em> Hoss go Virginia City. Bring Mistah Adam home.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe was glad to see Hop Sing starting to act like himself again, although he knew his relief would be short-lived. They still had a big problem on their hands, and somehow Hop Sing was right in the middle of it.<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t do that, Hop Sing,\u201d Hoss answered. \u201cThose men like to have killed Little Joe. What if that other one comes back? What if he brings more men?\u201d<\/p>\n Hop Sing nodded thoughtfully, making it clear a second attack was a very real possibility. \u201cHop Sing cannot go. Little Joe hurt. Mistah Hoss must go. Bring Mistah Adam home.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGo on, Hoss,\u201d Joe said then, anxiety flaring up the acid in his still empty stomach. \u201cI can take care of things here for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss looked at him like he was crazy. \u201cHow are you gonna take care of things when you can\u2019t fight or shoot?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI can still shoot right-handed. Maybe not as fast, but I ca\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHop Sing look after Little Joe,\u201d Hop Sing broke in, stubborn and insistent as ever. \u201cLittle Joe look after Hop Sing. Now Mistah Hoss go. Bring back Mistah Adam!\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss held his ground for a moment longer. \u201cDadburnit, Hop Sing! I wanna know what sort of mess you got into!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLater Hop Sing explain! Now go!\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss sighed and then shot Joe a quick, defeated smile. \u201cWell\u2026maybe you can get Hop Sing to fry up some more of that bacon.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe tried to smile back, but his brother\u2019s attempt at humor actually made him feel more on edge. \u201cJust get out of here, will ya\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss nodded, the smile gone. \u201cThis one wakes up, you be sure an\u2019 give him more of that sleepin\u2019 medicine, ya\u2019 hear?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d Joe countered.<\/p>\n Hoss pulled his brows down. \u201cJoseph\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n Now it was Joe\u2019s turn to hold his ground. \u201cIf he wakes up, he\u2019s going to tell me why he came here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe tried to kill you, Joe! I ain\u2019t gonna let him try again!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s blind! And if he wakes up, think of the pain he\u2019ll be in. He\u2019s not going to be in any shape to\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHop Sing tie man to bed.\u201d<\/p>\n Both Joe and Hoss looked at the cook, Joe with confusion, and Hoss with concern.<\/p>\n \u201cThen Mistah Hoss know Little Joe safe.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss chewed on the inside of his lip, his gaze going from Hop Sing to Little Joe. \u201cI still don\u2019t like it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNeither do I,\u201d Joe admitted. \u201cBut I\u2019ll like things a lot more after I know Adam\u2019s not facing more men like this on his own in Virginia City.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah. I reckon I will, too.\u201d<\/p>\n Before Joe followed his brother out of the room, he looked to the man in the bed. The face beneath all those bandages would carry hideous scars through the rest of his life. Maybe, for that reason alone, losing his sight wasn\u2019t such a bad thing. But\u2026with all that damage and all that pain, why would Hop Sing think he needed to be tied to the bed? Shuddering as the throbbing in his hand flared again, Joe turned away.<\/p>\n It never occurred to him that Doc Martin\u2019s quiet, unmoving patient might already be awake.<\/p>\n XxXxX<\/p>\n Watching Hoss ride away, Joe wished he could join his brother. He was worried about Adam. He was also angry\u2014as much about Hop Sing\u2019s silence as he was about having come so close to death at the hands of a Chinese swordsman\u2026first thing in the morning\u2026when he hadn\u2019t even been fully awake. Oh, and burning his hand to a crisp in the process.<\/p>\n Frustrated, Joe kicked at a stone as he turned. He knew he must look like a sulking child, but who was there to notice besides a blind intruder and Hop Sing? Joe could never hide anything from Hop Sing anyway. As to the intruder, well, Joe figured he\u2019d better head to the barn and fetch that rope Hop Sing wanted, even if it didn\u2019t make sense. Joe still couldn\u2019t believe they were going to tie down a man who was blind and in agony.<\/p>\n Okay, Hop Sing<\/em> was going to tie him down. Joe wasn\u2019t going to be doing much with that hand of his for a while. Doggone that Hop Sing! Joe had spent half the morning worrying about him; and now that he was back, Hop Sing wasn\u2019t even going to explain where he\u2019d gone\u2014or why.<\/p>\n Inside the barn, Cochise gave a welcoming snort and bobbed his head up and down as Joe approached his stall.<\/p>\n \u201cSorry, Cooch,\u201d Joe said, rubbing the horse\u2019s neck. \u201cI can\u2019t go riding just now. But how \u2018bout I let you out into the pasture for a while. Would you like that?\u201d<\/p>\n Another bob actually made Joe grin. It didn\u2019t last. Barely a minute later, as Joe was reaching for the horse\u2019s bridle, Cochise bobbed his head one time too many, nudging Joe\u2019s bad hand. The pain was intense and immediate.<\/p>\n \u201cDammit!\u201d Joe swore, stumbling backward until he could lean against the back of the stall. \u201cSon of a\u2014\u201d His right hand wrapped tightly\u2014and uselessly\u2014around his left wrist, he sucked air in through his teeth.<\/p>\n Cochise snorted again and nudged Joe\u2019s chest impatiently.<\/p>\n \u201cNot now, Cooch,\u201d Joe grunted.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy Little Joe no come with rope?\u201d<\/p>\n Startled by Hop Sing\u2019s unexpected appearance, Joe tensed, clamping his jaw shut to avoid another angry outburst.<\/p>\n \u201cLittle Joe hurt again?\u201d the cook said, concern in his voice.<\/p>\n Joe only shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cHop Sing fault.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy, Hop Sing?\u201d Joe found himself asking for about the hundredth time. He was panting and probably sounded like a whining child\u2014the same child who\u2019d kicked the stone earlier. \u201cWhy were they here? Where did you go?\u201d<\/p>\n The instant he asked the question, Joe realized what was bothering him most of all. Where did you go?<\/em> He felt as though Hop Sing had abandoned him somehow, leaving him alone in the kitchen to face an intruder with the meanest looking sword he\u2019d ever seen. Then Joe was mad at himself. He knew Hop Sing would never have left unless he\u2019d had a good reason. And if Hop Sing hadn\u2019t<\/em> disappeared, he could be dead now. Those men could very well have killed him.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Hop Sing.\u201d Joe sighed. \u201cWhatever\u2019s going on, I know you\u2019ll\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHop Sing protect someone.\u201d<\/p>\n Encouraged to hear this new bit of information, Joe dared to press for more. \u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHop Sing tell once. When brothers home.\u201d<\/p>\n A lot could happen between now and then, <\/em>Joe thought. But he swallowed the words and took a calming breath. <\/em>\u201cWhere is this someone now?\u201d<\/p>\n Hop Sing shook his head. \u201cHiding.\u201d That was all he was going to say.<\/p>\n \u201cYou should have told us. You should have asked for our help. We trust you. You know that, don\u2019t you? We would have helped.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHop Sing must also protect family. Better for family to not know.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe\u2019s anger started welling up again. \u201cThis isn\u2019t better<\/em>, Hop Sing! If we had known, we could have planned things out. Adam wouldn\u2019t have stayed in Virginia City. You and I wouldn\u2019t be alone here, now.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d Hop Sing nodded sadly. \u201cHop Sing make mistake. Think only to be thorn. Not think of garden.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA thorn defends the rose, harming only those who would steal the blossom. But Hop Sing bring harm to family, to garden.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow many men are after this rose of yours, Hop Sing?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cToo many, even if just one.\u201d Hop Sing\u2019s eyes showed Joe something new then, something Joe had never seen in them before: Fear. \u201cHop Sing take Cochise outside for Little Joe,\u201d he said suddenly, as though they\u2019d been speaking of nothing more important than the chores of the day. \u201cLittle Joe take rope inside.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe didn\u2019t bother arguing. He knew there would be no point. He left Hop Sing to tend to Cochise, grabbed a coil of rope and started back toward the house. But before he stepped onto the front porch, he gave a long look up the road as though he could still see Hoss riding away. \u201cHurry home, would ya\u2019?\u201d he said softly to no one at all.<\/p>\n XxXxX<\/p>\n Adam walked out of the Chinese laundry, leaving Hop Sing\u2019s cousin number thirty-two or whatever it was to his secrets. Sang-Woo was hiding something; that was clear. Hop Sing\u2019s cousins and friends had never been so tight-lipped before. They generally trusted the Cartwrights.<\/p>\n Apparently that trust had limits, and those limits had finally been reached.<\/p>\n Heaving a frustrated sigh, Adam looked up and down the dusty street. No one would meet his eyes, let alone greet him. By now, they all knew why he was there. He\u2019d played all his cards. There was nothing left to do but go home. With any luck, maybe Hop Sing would be back and ready to explain everything\u2014although that thought had barely hit him when he chuckled softly to himself, knowing very well that kind of luck was not likely to come his way.<\/p>\n Having left Sport a few blocks back, Adam turned to start walking in that direction.<\/p>\n He only made it as far as the alley.<\/p>\n XxXxX<\/p>\n Hoss was relieved to spot Adam so quickly. He reined in alongside Adam\u2019s horse and caught a glimpse of his older brother almost immediately. Adam was coming out of a shop a few blocks away. Relieved, Hoss turned his attention to tying his own horse\u2019s reins to the hitching post. He gave Adam\u2019s horse a gentle pat before starting along the sidewalk toward his brother. Trouble was, by then Adam was gone. Confused, Hoss hurried his pace and started looking into every shop window he passed. Adam wasn\u2019t in any of them.<\/p>\n At the alley just before the shop where Adam had been, Hoss smelled something funny, something like strong medicine. That\u2019s what drew his attention to the alley itself. And that\u2019s where he saw tracks in the dirt that made his confusion turn abruptly to fear. It sure looked like two men had been dragging something\u2014or someone\u2014to the far end of the alley.<\/p>\n \u201cDadburnit, Adam. Why couldn\u2019t ya\u2019 just come home like Pa said?\u201d<\/p>\n XxXxX<\/p>\n The blinded swordsman hadn\u2019t moved. Clearly, he was sound asleep. So why was Joe so nervous about walking back into that guestroom? Maybe it was because he was alone again, just like he\u2019d been that morning. You\u2019re not a child!<\/em> he scolded himself in his thoughts. Besides, he knew where Hop Sing was this time, even if a quick glance toward the window couldn\u2019t prove it. Joe couldn\u2019t see the barn or the pasture from that angle.<\/p>\n To calm himself, Joe hefted his gun in his right hand\u2014or rather, his wrong<\/em> hand\u2014testing its weight and grip. It felt odd, uncomfortable. But at least he was armed now. His holster wouldn\u2019t have been of any use, so Joe had left it on the credenza. Now he wasn\u2019t sure what to do with the gun. He tried stuffing it into his belt, but finally settled for placing it on top of the dresser near the door\u2014well away from the man in the bed and still within easy grabbing distance.<\/p>\n Chuckling softly, sardonically, at his ridiculous fear of his injured and drugged attacker, Joe shook his head and then slipped the coil of rope off of his left shoulder, careful once more to avoid touching it against his hand. He chuckled again at Hop Sing\u2019s crazy notion about tying up a man who clearly couldn\u2019t do them any more harm, and set the rope over the arm of the chair beside the bed, where it would have to wait for Hop Sing to do what he would.<\/p>\n But a soft noise from the kitchen quickly erased Joe\u2019s anxious smile. Could Hop Sing have gone around to the back door so quickly? The question had barely formed in Joe\u2019s thoughts when a different sort of noise stole his complete attention. A quiet whisper called from the bed beside him.<\/p>\n Joe looked down. The man was as still and silent as before. But Joe had<\/em> heard him whisper, hadn\u2019t he? He watched for a moment longer and saw\u2026nothing.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re hearin\u2019 things,\u201d he told himself. Frustrated again, Joe sighed and gave another glance out the window, relieved this time to see Hop Sing coming toward the front door.<\/p>\n \u201cHel\u2026.\u201d the man in the bed rasped.<\/p>\n Joe stopped breathing. He watched the bandage moving as the man worked his jaw up and down, trying to say something more. Yes. He was awake. He was finally, definitely<\/em> awake.<\/p>\n Steeling himself, Joe decided he didn\u2019t care what the man wanted. He needed his own answers. \u201cWho are you?\u201d he demanded. \u201cWhy did you come here?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSee\u2026please.\u201d The man raised a hand, as though reaching for his bandages.<\/p>\n Suddenly sympathetic, Joe pressed the man\u2019s arm back down, keeping his own bandaged hand close to his chest. \u201cYou shouldn\u2019t try to\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n The swordsman moved so fast Joe barely knew what hit him. It was as though Doc Martin\u2019s patient had become someone else, a strong man in good health. He grabbed hold of Joe\u2019s left arm, pulling it toward him, and then took Joe\u2019s bandaged hand in both of his, squeezing and twisting the raw flesh beneath.<\/p>\n \u201cYou will pay for this,\u201d the man said in a harsh, breathy voice.<\/p>\n Pure instinct pushed Joe\u2019s response. First, he uselessly clawed at the man\u2019s fierce grip, and then he threw himself bodily into a defensive attack. Using his head as a battering ram, Joe dove into the man\u2019s raw face.<\/p>\n A muffled howl erupted from beneath the bandages as the hands around his own lost their grip.<\/p>\n Joe could almost have believed the sound had come from his own throat. He rolled to the edge of the bed, and then slowly, unsteadily got to his feet. Stumbling to the chair, he collapsed into it. He sensed rather than saw the rope fall to the floor. It reminded him of the gun.<\/p>\n Fighting the agony of the fire in his hand, Joe forced himself to rise again. He glanced quickly at the man in the bed to see him fighting his own round of agony. Fists tightened around bed sheets as the man squirmed and moaned beneath. Joe felt no sympathy now. Instead, he hardened his jaw and started toward the dresser\u2026toward the gun he\u2019d left on top.<\/p>\n He only took one step before his eyes found Hop Sing\u2019s. The cook was standing in the open doorway, looking solemnly at Little Joe. A dark-clothed Chinese stranger was close behind him, holding the finely honed edge of a steel dagger to Hop Sing\u2019s throat. And that new intruder was not alone.<\/p>\n XxXxX<\/p>\n Hoss followed the tracks in the alley to a small side road. There he found more tracks, indicating more men had gotten involved. Those heel-marked lines disappeared then, too. He reckoned that meant the men had started carrying Adam rather than dragging him.<\/p>\n He finally caught sight of his brother at a small livery. Adam had been tossed across a packhorse\u2019s back like a sack of grain. Hoss watched through cracks in the wooden walls while Adam was tied down and covered with burlap.<\/p>\n Dadburnit<\/em>, Hoss said in the silence of his own mind. There were six men in that livery and only one of him. How was he supposed to get Adam away from \u2018em? Glancing around, he knew he wouldn\u2019t find any help where he was. And he didn\u2019t dare walk away until he knew right where Adam would be when he got back. Besides, who would he get to help, anyway? He couldn\u2019t trust any of Hop Sing\u2019s cousins just then, not after seeing this happen to Adam right next to that one cousin\u2019s laundry shop. And the sheriff was out with Pa already, looking for that man who\u2019d attacked Little Joe.<\/p>\n Dadburnit<\/em>, Hoss thought again, swallowing his indecision.<\/p>\n A few moments later, when he saw four men ride out of that livery with Adam in tow, Hoss knew there was only one thing he could do. He hightailed it back to Chubb and Sport, and then rode out after them.<\/p>\n XxXxX<\/p>\n When Adam came to full awareness, he was lying on his side on sandy ground. He couldn\u2019t see anything through the sack they\u2019d put over his head. He couldn\u2019t move much, either. His hands were tied behind him. His ankles were secured, too.<\/p>\n In the hours\u2026or minutes?…before he\u2019d been thrown to this spot, he\u2019d had a vague sense of riding\u2026or at least of being on top of a horse. Belly down. Each jolting footfall had pushed the air from his lungs and made it that much harder to recover from the chloroform or whatever it was they\u2019d used to incapacitate him.<\/p>\n \u201cYour name is Adam Cartwright,\u201d someone said from above him. \u201cIs it not?\u201d The voice was deep and lightly accented. He was Chinese, certainly; but he spoke clearly. Cleanly.<\/p>\n \u201cWho are you?\u201d Adam countered, his own voice sounding pathetically weak. A kick to his already sore ribs turned him to his back and rendered him breathless once more. His arms twisted painfully in the process. The tightness of the sack where it was gathered beneath his jaw chafed at his neck.<\/p>\n \u201cYou answer! You do not ask! Now answer this. Is your name Adam Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam found himself nodding long before he could speak. Then all he could offer was a breathy, \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cKnow this, Adam Cartwright<\/em>, you have been spared because of that name. Because there are those who feel a sense of honor<\/em> to that name. You should know also that I am not among them. Had the choice been mine, you would be dead already.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWho\u2026.\u201d Adam was still trying to catch his breath. \u201cWhose choice is it?\u201d Another kick caused Adam to cry out, pulling his knees protectively inward.<\/p>\n \u201cYou answer<\/em>!\u201d his tormentor shouted. \u201cYou do\u2026not<\/em>\u2026ask!\u201d The man spoke for a moment to his companions in Chinese. Their smaller echoes in reply told Adam he was in a cave. Or perhaps a mine shaft. \u201cYou are here because you have already asked too much, meddling in affairs that are of no concern to you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy family was threatened,\u201d Adam shot back breathlessly. \u201cThat makes it my concern!\u201d He wasn\u2019t surprised to receive another kick. This time he\u2019d braced himself for it, but that didn\u2019t stop him from coughing painfully afterwards.<\/p>\n \u201cAs I have already informed you, your family is of no matter to me. As I have also<\/em> said, you have been spared because of your name. But the same cannot be said of your brother.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d The word barely escaped Adam\u2019s lips. The cloth at his throat seemed to draw tighter, choking him. He couldn\u2019t breathe. He couldn\u2019t\u2026.<\/p>\n \u201cYour current blindness also<\/em> spares you. Your brother has no such\u2026protection.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo!\u201d Adam cried out, horrified to realize they were planning to kill Joe only because he saw his attackers. \u201cHe\u2019s hardly more than a boy! He\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA boy<\/em>?\u201d The man laughed. \u201cPerhaps I know less of your language than I had believed. Well, that boy<\/em> of yours has followed us all the way from Virginia City. Fortunately, he is as big as a bear. He will make an easy target. We need not waste time waiting for him to move closer.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHoss?\u201d Adam whispered, no less horrified than before.<\/p>\n \u201cNow we leave you. You will remain here until\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t you dare hurt my brother!\u201d Adam shouted\u2026or tried to, anyway. His voice was rough, his throat dry. \u201cHe won\u2019t care who you are! He\u2019s only trying to protect me!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou will remain here,\u201d the man repeated, ignoring Adam\u2019s plea, \u201cuntil it is over. If we succeed\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t hurt him!\u201d Adam cut in.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026Someone will be informed of your location. If we do not\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPlease!\u201d Adam found himself begging. \u201cLeave my brother be!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026Then no one will come and you will die here.\u201d<\/p>\n The crunch of footsteps told Adam the man was walking away. \u201cNo!\u201d Adam shouted once more. \u201cHoss,\u201d he whispered sadly a moment later, this time to no one but himself. Except\u2026he wasn\u2019t alone, was he? There was someone near him\u2026someone\u2026behind<\/em> him\u2026and\u2026moving closer. He could sense it more than hear it. \u201cHello?\u201d he called out quietly.<\/p>\n \u201cShhh,\u201d the other whispered back. That person stepped beside him and knelt low, \u201cYou safe here,\u201d Adam\u2019s new companion whispered directly in his ear. \u201cIt will end tonight. On Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat will end?\u201d Adam dared to whisper back.<\/p>\n The first man shouted in Chinese from somewhere in the distance.<\/p>\n \u201cYou safe here,\u201d the whisper was repeated before the speaker gave a submissive-sounding shout in reply. And then Adam knew\u2014with absolute certainty\u2014he was left alone.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d he shouted desperately.<\/p>\n His only answer came from hollow echoes\u2026and the sudden, bone jarring crack of a rifle.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, God! Hoss<\/em>!\u201d<\/p>\n XxXxX<\/p>\n For a long while, Ben was torn between looking for Joe\u2019s missing attacker and finding Hop Sing. What if Hop Sing was hurt and needed help? On the other hand, what if Joe\u2019s attacker returned to the ranch with more men? That was Sheriff Coffee\u2019s biggest concern, and he had convinced Ben from the start that if they didn\u2019t find and eliminate the threat the intruders posed, Ben could have more than just his cook\u2014and friend\u2014to worry about.<\/p>\n But whoever they were looking for, they weren\u2019t finding much to go on. And as anxious as Ben was to get his hands on the man who had turned a quiet morning into a hellish awakening, he was equally anxious to return home. Each hour that kept him away made his worries grow. Something was very wrong, and he wasn\u2019t going to resolve it by chasing shadows.<\/p>\n Almost as soon as that thought had occurred to him, he noticed the shadow of something slipping through the trees at the edge of his vision. He pulled on his reins, and then, his hand hovering above his gun, he stared through the thick branches, trying to get a better look.<\/p>\n Roy was quick to notice his friend\u2019s guarded posture. He dismounted and approached that copse of trees from the side. \u201cAll right, you!\u201d he called out, his gun raised and ready. \u201cCome on out of there and keep your hands where I can see \u2018em!\u201d<\/p>\n Ben slowly withdrew his own gun from the holster. He pulled back the hammer as the shadow began to move.<\/p>\n \u201cCome on, now!\u201d Roy prodded. \u2018You ain\u2019t foolin\u2019 no one hidin\u2019 in there!\u201d<\/p>\n Ben rested his finger lightly against the trigger, his heart pounding hard\u2014anxious\u2014against his breast, his mouth going dry with anticipation. Vengeance<\/em>, he told himself, is mine, sayeth the Lord<\/em>. But that shadow out there had done God-knew-what to Hop Sing, and had planned to murder Little Joe in Ben\u2019s own kitchen.<\/p>\n \u201cCome on out, now,\u201d Roy said, \u201cslow and steady.\u201d<\/p>\n The shadow slipped away, moving slowly toward Roy. Ben\u2019s finger danced above the trigger.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat in tarnation?\u201d Roy\u2019s quiet question came as a surprise, drawing Ben\u2019s attention from the shadow for an instant. And then that very shadow began to emerge from the trees, approaching Roy. As it did so, Ben watched it shift from a shadow into a young, petite and frightened Chinese woman.<\/p>\n XxXxX<\/p>\n The intruder who\u2019d run off earlier had returned with four others, all of whom looked about as ready to bloody up those blades of theirs as the one who\u2019d been prepared to kill Joe that morning. As hard as it\u2019d been against two, Joe knew he didn\u2019t have much hope against five. And with one of them ready to cut into Hop Sing\u2019s neck, Joe figured he\u2019d better do what they wanted for now.<\/p>\n He showed his surrender by relaxing his shoulders and giving a single, quick nod to encourage the one threatening Hop Sing to lower his dagger. And then Joe allowed himself to be herded back into the kitchen right alongside Hop Sing.<\/p>\n The intruders made quick use of the rope Joe had obligingly brought in from the barn, starting out by tying Hop Sing to a chair. While Joe stood, watching, figuring he would be next, his eyes darted around like a cornered rabbit in search of a path to escape. But even if he\u2019d found one, could he leave Hop Sing alone like that?<\/p>\n It didn\u2019t matter. He never had to make that choice. No path presented itself. Once Hop Sing was good and secure, Joe was dragged right up in front of that chair until he could look straight down at his cook\u2026his friend. Hop Sing looked straight up at him, too. Joe saw a whole different kind of fear in Hop Sing\u2019s eyes then, but he didn\u2019t get a chance to wonder about it. His hands were pulled roughly behind him and secured together with more of that danged rope, the motion of it all making his burned hand throb so badly he barely kept his feet. He could almost believe they\u2019d still make him stand like that, even if they had to prop him up themselves. And then he discovered why.<\/p>\n Joe was just starting to think past the pain when the man behind him grabbed his hair, yanked his head back and laid the finely honed edge of a dagger against his neck\u2014a whole lot closer than they\u2019d done with Hop Sing.<\/p>\n Keenly aware of the sting of the blade on his taut skin, Joe fought the urge to swallow while a gruff voice beside him said something in Cantonese, something that sounded like a command. If Joe could concentrate he might be able to recognize some of what was being said in the heated conversation that followed. After all, Hop Sing had taught him a lot of Chinese words over the years. But Joe couldn\u2019t think beyond that blade\u2019s sharp edge and the tiny, warm trickle that had begun to slide along his neck.<\/p>\n Afraid to breathe, Joe fought to limit himself to short, quick gasps. Just enough<\/em>, he told himself, even when he knew it wasn\u2019t. Then an instinctive swallow nudged the blade deeper. And Joe\u2019s thoughts grew dark. He was going to die there, wasn\u2019t he?<\/p>\n He conjured images of his pa and brothers, and the\u2026mess<\/em>\u2026that would greet them when they returned. And all because\u2026why<\/em>? Because Joe had decided to get up early for a change? It was almost laughable. But Joe could hardly laugh with a blade digging into his throat.<\/p>\n Then he realized it didn\u2019t seem to be digging deeper. Did that mean he still had a chance?<\/p>\n He realized also that Hop Sing was yelling. The cook was hollering as Joe had never heard him holler before. This was nothing like one of his common tirades about food growing cold or being left uneaten. No. This was a different Hop Sing. Not just a frustrated or even an angry Hop Sing, but an enraged one. He sounded like the maddest kind of mad there could be. Joe was impressed by the venom the cook put into his words. But then those words were cut short with a hard slap.<\/p>\n And Joe was thrown to the floor. He lay where he landed, panting and lightheaded enough to wonder whether the blade had cut too deep after all.<\/p>\n XxXxX<\/p>\n Adam had to work fast. He had<\/em> to. If Hoss was still alive\u2014please, God! Let him still be alive!<\/em>\u2014he might not be for long. Adam had to get to him. But first, he had to get free. And his Chinese abductors had done everything they could to prevent that from happening. The knots in the rope binding his hands were far too secure; they weren\u2019t going to loosen up, no matter how much he twisted his wrists. He needed something sharp. A rock, maybe. Or, if this was a mine, perhaps a ragged timber or a nail.<\/p>\n But without being able to see, Adam had little likelihood of finding either. He couldn\u2019t even tell what direction he would have to move to reach the nearest wall. He knew only that if he moved in the direction from which the leader of that group had shouted earlier, he would find an opening. He would make it outside. With any luck, he might even find something sharp along the way. Or, once he reached the entrance, the afternoon sun might be strong enough for him to see through some of the fibers in the cloth sack covering his eyes.<\/p>\n Hoss might<\/em> still be alive. Adam might<\/em> find something sharp. And the sun might<\/em> be bright enough for him to see something.<\/p>\n At least making it outside would increase his odds of getting to Hoss\u2014and then to Joe and Pa\u2014before it was too late for any of them.<\/p>\n Gritting his teeth, Adam shimmied his way forward, pulling with his heels, pushing with his hands and dragging his butt across the ground until he was sure he was going to wear the seat of his trousers down to nothing.<\/p>\n He never did find anything sharp, but he was eventually rewarded by seeing a speck of light. He was also starting to feel the heat of the sun. Yes<\/em>. He was almost there, almost\u2014<\/p>\n The sound of horses stopped him. He held his breath, listening for voices, something<\/em> to indicate who was out there.<\/p>\n \u201cNow we leave you,\u201d<\/em> his abductor had said. They wouldn\u2019t have posted a guard, would they?<\/p>\n \u201cIf we succeed, someone will be informed of your location\u2026.\u201d <\/em>No. they hadn\u2019t been planning to post a guard. They\u2019d intended to leave him there.<\/p>\n So\u2026who was outside now?<\/p>\n His heart pounding hard and heavy, Adam decided to find out. \u201cHello!\u201d he shouted. Then, clearing his throat to gain more volume, he tried again. \u201cHello!\u201d It wasn\u2019t loud enough. His throat was just too dry. And that blasted sack kept muffling what little sound he did manage to make.<\/p>\n \u201cAdam!\u201d<\/p>\n Shock stole Adam\u2019s thoughts. It couldn\u2019t be. Could it? \u201cHoss?\u201d he called back.<\/p>\n A few minutes passed with no reply. He began to wonder if his mind had been playing tricks on him. Had it just been wishful thinking? \u201cHoss!\u201d he shouted again, as loud as he could.<\/p>\n There was a rustling sound nearby, and then, \u201cDadburnit, Adam! They sure had you hid good! I don\u2019t know if I\u2026. Adam? You okay?\u201d A hand grasped his shoulder.<\/p>\n Adam sensed his brother kneeling down to him, and then felt the sack moving as Hoss began to untie it. \u201cThey shot you<\/em>, Hoss,\u201d he answered, shakily. \u201cNot me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo one shot me,\u201d Hoss said. \u201cThey tried, but I saw it comin\u2019. Thought I did, anyways. The sun reflected off of somethin\u2019 up here. I thought it might be a rifle, so I dove for the ground. Just in time, too.\u201d<\/p>\n The sack was pulled away. Adam blinked against the sudden light and took a long, welcome breath of fresh air.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m just glad no one went down there,\u201d Hoss added as he started fumbling with the knots around Adam\u2019s wrists, \u201cto make sure I was hit.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam watched his brother. \u201cI\u2019m<\/em> just glad you weren\u2019t hit. When I heard that shot, I thought\u2026.\u201d He swallowed dry air.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, well, I don\u2019t like the things I thought when I saw you thrown over top of a supply horse. Maybe we\u2019d both better just stop thinkin\u2019 the worst for now.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe we should,\u201d Adam admitted, grinning slightly. \u201cBut, Hoss, they\u2019re on their way to the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen I reckon we\u2019d better get back there. You gonna be okay to ride?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGet these ropes off of me and I\u2019ll run back if I have to.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAin\u2019t no need of that.\u201d Hoss tapped Adam\u2019s leg. \u201cYou just wait here a minute. I\u2019m gonna need my knife for these ropes.\u201d<\/p>\n As Adam watched Hoss walk away, he tried to force himself to stop thinkin\u2019 the worst.<\/em> But whatever was going to end on the Ponderosa tonight had already come close to claiming both of his brothers. Not thinkin\u2019 the worst<\/em> was going to be a pretty tall order.<\/p>\n XxXxX<\/p>\n The young woman glanced nervously between Ben and Roy.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re not going to hurt you, Miss\u2026?\u201d Ben dismounted slowly, noting that her eyes followed his every move. She did not respond to his prompt for her name. \u201cI\u2019m Ben Cartwright,\u201d he added after looking quickly at Roy. \u201cThis is my land you\u2019re on. Can you tell me how you got here? And who else is with you?\u201d<\/p>\n Her eyes widened. \u201cHonorable Mistah Ben Cartwright?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes,\u201d Ben answered, increasingly curious. \u201cThat\u2019s right. And\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYap Tsing tell Zhinu,\u201d she said, bowing low, \u201cMistah Ben Cartwright wise and honorable man.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYap Tsing?\u201d Ben asked, puzzled. \u201cDo you mean Hop Sing? Do you know him?\u201d<\/p>\n She rose slowly, keeping her eyes downcast. Then, sheepishly glancing up at him before lowering her gaze again, she nodded. \u201cHop Sing<\/em> tell Zhinu where to hide. But Zhinu not obey. Worry for Hop Sing<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben moved closer. \u201cZhinu? Is that your name?\u201d<\/p>\n She nodded, glanced upward, and then slowly, her shoulders dropping in acquiescence, shook her head. \u201cZhinu is name Hop Sing give.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe gave<\/em> you a name?\u201d Ben asked before realizing these questions could wait for another time, a time when he knew his home and his family\u2014including Hop Sing\u2014were safe.<\/p>\n When she nodded again, saying nothing, Roy was clearly as surprised as Ben. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong with your own name?\u201d he asked quickly, sounding disturbingly\u2014understandably\u2014suspicious.<\/p>\n \u201cZhinu selfish,\u201d the woman explained. \u201cDishonor honorable father. Accept Hop Sing promise to give her new life in America.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHis promise?\u201d<\/p>\n The look she gave Ben seemed to plead for him to understand\u2026as though she expected<\/em> him to understand. \u201cAs Lin-Wei is Zhinu, Hop Sing is Niulang.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo Lin-Wei is your real name?\u201d Roy pressed.<\/p>\n But Ben was growing impatient. \u201cDo you know where Hop Sing is now?\u201d<\/p>\n She looked at him, this time holding his gaze, no longer kowtowing<\/em>. Then she nodded. \u201cHop Sing make Zhinu safe, then return home. To Ponderosa house.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood,\u201d he said to Roy. \u201cHe\u2019ll be with the boys, then. What about the men he was protecting you from,\u201d he added, turning back to Lin-Wei. \u201cDo you know where they are?\u201d<\/p>\n She nodded again. \u201cAt Ponderosa house.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben\u2019s relief died in an instant. \u201cDo you know who<\/em> they are?\u201d he asked next, the words nearly sticking in his throat.<\/p>\n Another nod sent Lin-Wei\u2019s gaze to the ground again. \u201cThe man who leads them is Dong Zhuo-Cheng. Honorable father bound Lin-Wei to him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBound you? You mean this\u2026this Dong Cheng\u2026expects to marry you, but you don\u2019t want to marry him. Is that it?\u201d<\/p>\n She nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd now he expects to take you by force.\u201d<\/p>\n She answered with another nod.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd kill whoever gets in his way.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNow why would he go to so much trouble,\u201d Roy said then, \u201cif it\u2019s clear ya\u2019 don\u2019t even want to marry him?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHop Sing tell Lin-Wei\u2014Zhinu<\/em>\u2014Chinese woman more valuable than gold to Chinese men in America. Too many men, not enough women. Without Chinese woman, there can be no sons. Dong Zhuo-Cheng is powerful man. Must have sons to keep power.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell,\u201d Ben said gruffly, turning to Roy, \u201cI don\u2019t share his concerns about power, but I do<\/em> care about sons. My<\/em> sons! And if he harms them, Roy, I promise you I\u2019ll\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n But Roy was still focusing on the woman. \u201cHow many men does he have with him?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDong Zhuo-Cheng left San Francisco with six armed men.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood. And there\u2019s one less now,\u201d Ben said absently. \u201cThanks to Little Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere is another,\u201d the woman quickly corrected him.<\/p>\n \u201cSo he has seven men?\u201d<\/p>\n She shook her head. \u201cWhen Hop Sing came to Zhinu this morning, he warned of another man in Virginia City who wants power like Dong Zhuo-Cheng. Hop Sing cousin warned Hop Sing, and Hop Sing warned Zhinu. There was no time to warn Honorable Ben Cartwright. Or his sons.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJust who was it that attacked my son this morning?\u201d His patience worn down to nothing, Ben\u2019s voice rose with every word.<\/p>\n \u201cHop Sing cousin say two men for Dong Zhuo-Cheng meet in secret with Quan Feng in Virginia City. Maybe these men work now for Quan Feng.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWonderful!\u201d Ben shouted angrily. \u201cNow we have spies and traitors to worry about, too?\u201d Huffing in frustration, he turned to the sheriff. \u201cRoy, we\u2019re going to need as many men as we can round up. Most of the hands are down in the south pasture now. I\u2019ll head over there. Do you think you\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll pull a posse together,\u201d Roy finished for him.<\/p>\n Ben narrowed his eyes, believing his old friend was far too calm.<\/p>\n \u201cMiss,\u201d Roy added, gently taking hold of Lin-Wei\u2019s arm, \u201cyou\u2019d better come with me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo!\u201d she shouted, pulling away. \u201cThey will kill you when they see Lin-Wei!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t you worry about me, none. I\u2019ve been wearin\u2019 this badge a good long time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd they will kill Hop Sing when they do not<\/em> see Lin-Wei.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben noticed suddenly there were tears in her eyes. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to worry about Hop Sing, either,\u201d he assured her, forcing himself to be as calm as Roy. \u201cWe\u2019ll see to it he\u2019s alright.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut\u2026but Hop Sing is Niulang.\u201d Her tears were falling freely now.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m afraid I don\u2019t understand.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cZhinu belongs with Niulang.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBelongs?\u201d Ben mouthed the word as he considered its meaning. And then it hit him. Hard. \u201cAre you saying that\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLin-Wei does not want Dong Zhuo-Cheng of San Francisco or Quan Feng of Virginia City. Zhinu<\/em> wants Niulang<\/em>\u2026of Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2026you want to marry<\/em> Hop Sing?\u201d<\/p>\n Roy whistled, shaking his head. \u201cWell, if that don\u2019t beat all. If there was ever gonna be a gunfight on the Ponderosa over a woman, I would\u2019a figured it\u2019d be on account of Little Joe. I sure never would\u2019a guessed it\u2019d be Hop Sing\u2019s doin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo! Not Hop Sing fault! Lin-Wei<\/em> fault! Lin-Wei followed Hop Sing to Ponderosa. Hop Sing was kind to Lin-Wei in San Francisco as Dong Zhuo-Cheng was not. When Hop Sing left, Lin-Wei followed. Do not blame Hop Sing.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben looked from the woman to Roy and then back again, sighing heavily. \u201cWe\u2019ll get this all figured out later,\u201d he said, taking off his hat and rubbing a hand through his hair. \u201cFirst, we have to get all of these\u2026these\u2026courtiers<\/em> off the Ponderosa! Lin-Wei, please, go with the sheriff. He will find a safe place for you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo. Lin-Wei stay here. Lin-Wei safe here<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Frustrated, Ben closed his eyes for a moment. \u201cAlright,\u201d he gave in to avoid any further delay. \u201cThere\u2019s a small line shack right up\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLin-Wei know of it,\u201d she interrupted, nodding enthusiastically to where he was pointing. \u201cHop Sing take Lin-Wei there. Say Lin-Wei safe there for now.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes,\u201d Ben answered with considerably less enthusiasm. \u201cFor now<\/em>, you will be safe there.\u201d But he wasn\u2019t so sure about Hop Sing when things got back to normal again. Ben was going to have to have a long talk with that cook of his, the kind of talk he never would have thought to need. And apparently he was going to have to ask a lot more questions the next time Hop Sing decided he must go to San Francisco to care for a sick<\/em> cousin.<\/p>\n XxXxX<\/p>\n \u201cLin-Wei\u2026make Hop Sing think of Little Joe.\u201d The words were spoken softly and woven with familiar comfort. They gave Joe the strength to blink his eyes open. But Joe\u2019s head was dropped to his chest. Instead of seeing Hop Sing, he found himself looking at his own left hand.<\/p>\n Strange. It didn\u2019t really hurt anymore, even though the bandage was gone and it sure looked a mess. They\u2019d tied Joe\u2019s hand to the arm of his pa\u2019s dining room chair\u2026palm down\u2026wrapping rope around it in loops from his fingertips to his wrist\u2026slowly\u2026tightening each loop enough to break bones.<\/p>\n He knew something broke. Maybe it was him that broke.<\/p>\n At first he\u2019d clamped his jaw shut almost as tight as them ropes. But after a while he just couldn\u2019t hold in the screams anymore. He\u2019d stopped thinking then. Stopped fighting, too. He\u2019d just screamed until his throat felt as raw as that palm of his, splayed out as it was against the arm of the chair.<\/p>\n And he still didn\u2019t really know why. Not exactly. They\u2019d kept talking in Chinese and Joe just didn\u2019t have the gumption to pay enough attention to understand any of it. He only knew Hop Sing\u2019s shouts had grown louder with each pull of that rope on Joe\u2019s hand.<\/p>\n And while Hop Sing\u2019s shouts had grown louder, Joe\u2019s struggles had grown weaker.<\/p>\n \u201cLittle Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n At the sound of his name, Joe raised his head to look at Hop Sing. They were positioned facing one another. Joe never had any doubt as to the reason. They wanted information from Hop Sing and they were using Joe to encourage him to talk.<\/p>\n \u201cI told you before,\u201d <\/em>Joe had said to Hop Sing after he\u2019d come to realize the cut at his throat wasn\u2019t deep enough to kill him, \u201cyou should have trusted us. Now I\u2019m telling you I trust you. If it\u2019s important to you to keep your secret, then it\u2019s important to me, too.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Joe\u2019s words had led one of the men to grab what remained of his collar and haul him upright enough to punch him squarely in the jaw.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t tell them anything, Hop Sing!\u201d<\/em> he\u2019d shouted once he\u2019d caught his breath again. That, too, had earned him a punch. And then a few more. He wasn\u2019t really sure how many times they\u2019d hit him. All he knew was eventually they\u2019d dragged Pa\u2019s chair into the kitchen. And then\u2026the rope.<\/p>\n The pain at one point had been enough to make him want Hop Sing to give up his secret. Now, though\u2026it just didn\u2019t seem to matter anymore. Not to Joe anyway. And looking into Hop Sing\u2019s sad eyes made Joe hope he hadn\u2019t said anything out loud. He didn\u2019t want to be the one causing that hurt by maybe telling Hop Sing to say something he shouldn\u2019t.<\/p>\n \u201cHow Hop Sing protect Little Joe and Lin-Wei?\u201d<\/p>\n Joe was confused. Who was Lin-Wei? And then he remembered.<\/p>\n XxXxX<\/p>\n \u201cQiXi.\u201d The word\u2026or words Hop Sing had said were unfamiliar.<\/p>\n \u201cChee shee?\u201d Joe knew he\u2019d made a poor attempt to repeat the sounds he\u2019d heard. Even then, his tongue had felt as thick as his thoughts.<\/p>\n But Hop Sing had cocked his head and given a hesitant nod. \u201cA story,\u201d he\u2019d added then, \u201cfor young girls.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t\u2026understand.\u201d And Joe hadn\u2019t. Why would Hop Sing want to talk about a girls\u2019 story? They\u2019d been tied up and left to the mercy of merciless countrymen of Hop Sing\u2019s. But there\u2019d been a girl at the heart of everything. Hadn\u2019t there?<\/p>\n \u201cChan Lin-Wei,\u201d Hop Sing had gone on. \u201cWhen Hop Sing see Lin-Wei in San Francisco, she so\u2026beautiful\u2026.\u201d His gaze going distant, Hop Sing had shaken his head slightly. \u201cLike from heavens.\u201d He\u2019d returned his attention to Joe, showing a small, sad smile. \u201cLike Zhinu, daughter from heavens, in story of QiXi\u2026the story of Niulang and Zhinu.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t remember.\u201d Long ago, when Joe had been a young boy still missing his mother, Hop Sing had tried to comfort him by telling stories from his own boyhood. But this\u2026this story of chee shee<\/em> was different, somehow.<\/p>\n \u201cHop Sing never tell Little Joe of QiXi.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy not?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cQiXi is story for young girls\u2026and old fools. Not young boys.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut\u2026it matters to you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt is filled with foolishment. Like Hop Sing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTell me,\u201d Joe had urged.<\/p>\n Hop Sing had looked into Joe\u2019s eyes and nodded. \u201cNiulang in the story is like\u2026Little Joe. He was a cowboy. Headstrong. Quick to love. He find Zhinu in river, bathing with her sisters. Zhinu\u2019s beauty took his thoughts, like Lin-Wei took Hop Sing\u2019s. She make him think of nothing else. Then he make her to fall in love with him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou made Lin-Wei fall in love with you?\u201d<\/p>\n Hop Sing\u2019s eyes had gone sadder. \u201cIn San Francisco, Hop Sing\u2019s thoughts scatter, like Niulang. Like Little Joe.\u201d He\u2019d tried to smile, but it didn\u2019t last. \u201cI become like foolish school boy. I tell Lin-Wei I was cowboy, not cook.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe had grinned. \u201cYou might as well be a cowboy, Hop Sing. You\u2019ve been on enough cattle drives.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo. Little Joe<\/em>, cowboy. Hop Sing\u2026cook. But in San Francisco, Hop Sing pretend. Also pretend Lin-Wei could be his Zhinu. She look like daughter of the heavens.\u201d Each word had made Hop Sing appear angrier, his sadness shifting back to the rage Joe had seen earlier. \u201cHop Sing foolishment become Lin-Wei foolishment. She follow. Come here, to Ponderosa. Like Zhinu, think to run from home. Think to marry this unworthy one. In story of QiXi, the mother of Zhinu call her back to heavens. On Ponderosa, Dong Zhuo-Cheng call her back to San Francisco. To marry. She not want to marry Dong Zhuo-Cheng. She beg Hop Sing to help.\u201d<\/p>\n XxXxX<\/p>\n \u201cLittle Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n Joe opened his eyes again. When had he closed them? Hop Sing was looking more worried than sad now. \u201cAre they back?\u201d Joe asked, his words oddly slurred.<\/p>\n Hop Sing shook his head. \u201cThey take blind man out to yard.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTo exe\u2026exe-cute for\u2026.\u201d Hop Sing looked puzzled, as though he was trying to find a word. Then he added, \u201cBenedict Arnold.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTraitor?\u201d Joe asked.<\/p>\n Hop Sing nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cHow is he a traitor? I don\u2019t\u2026I don\u2019t understand.\u201d It was all too complex. Joe couldn\u2019t make sense of any of it. Hop Sing was in love with an angel from the heavens. Or she was in love with him. But\u2026. \u201cHop Sing? Are you\u2026. Do you love Lin-Wei?\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Joe-fight\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Joe-fight.png?ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\nQiXi: The Seventh Night of the Seventh Moon<\/h2>\n
1<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nXxXxX<\/h2>\n
2<\/strong><\/h2>\n