Crossover between Bonanza, Touched By An Angel, and Highway To Heaven.\u00a0 A difficult assignment awaits Angel Supervisor Tess and her prot\u00e9g\u00e9e in Virginia City, and the Cartwrights are in it up to their eyeballs.\u00a0 Tess’ student will eventually strike out along his own Highway to Heaven, becoming as potent a force for good in his own right.\u00a0\u00a0 He also bears a very strong resemblance to one of Ben Cartwright\u2019s boys.<\/p>\n
Rating: \u00a0T (51, 160 words)<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Bloodlines Series:<\/strong><\/p>\n Bloodlines<\/a> \n <\/p>\n Virginia City Detour\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Chapter 1<\/p>\n \u201cSomething\u2019s wrong, Big Brother!\u201d Stacy declared, as she and Hoss approached the hitching post on the street in front of the General Store.<\/p>\n Hoss looked up and saw Stacy\u2019s best friend, Molly O\u2019Hanlan, on the wood walkway in front of the General Store, pacing relentlessly back and forth like a caged wild cat.\u00a0 She paused occasionally to glance over her shoulder, and once, she ran over to the store window and peered at the wall clock hanging inside on the opposite wall.<\/p>\n \u201c \u2018Morning, Molly!\u201d Stacy called out a greeting, as she and Hoss dismounted from their horses.<\/p>\n \u201cGood morning, Stacy . . . you, too, Hoss,\u201d Molly stopped pacing long enough to return their greeting.<\/p>\n Ever since the start of school six weeks earlier, Stacy Cartwright and Molly O\u2019Hanlan met six year old Timmy O\u2019Toole, the young son of Lotus O\u2019Toole in front of the General Store.\u00a0 Timmy thoroughly enjoyed the company of the older girls.\u00a0\u00a0 Molly was always on hand to help with homework and provide the intellectual stimulation he craved.\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy let him ride Blaze Face from the General Store to the livery stable nearest the school yard.\u00a0\u00a0 For the present, he sat in the saddle, while she led the horse.\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy had promised riding lessons, but that would have to wait until his mother decided he was old enough.<\/p>\n \u201cMolly, where\u2019s Timmy?\u201d Stacy asked, as she and Hoss tethered their horses at the hitching post.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Molly wailed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cStacy, I\u2019m worried.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMolly, it could be his ma\u2019s keepin\u2019 him home today, \u2018cause he ain\u2019t feelin\u2019 well,\u201d Hoss suggested in an attempt to reassure his sister\u2019s distraught friend.<\/p>\n Molly vigorously shook her head.\u00a0 \u201cIf that\u2019s the case, Miss O\u2019Toole\u2019s ALWAYS here first thing to let me know,\u201d she said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe sets great store in Timmy getting as good an education as he can.\u00a0\u00a0 If he\u2019s going to be absent from school, she makes sure that I . . . and the teacher . . . know the reason why.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMolly\u2019s right about that, Big Brother,\u201d Stacy said in complete agreement.<\/p>\n \u201cTell you what?\u201d Hoss said, feeling a trifle uneasy himself.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhy don\u2019t we go see Miss O\u2019Toole an\u2019 find out exactly what\u2019s what?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, Hoss,\u201d Molly said gratefully, then sighed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThere\u2019s probably a perfectly good explanation why Timmy\u2019s not here this morning, but I\u2019d sure feel a lot better if I knew what it was.\u201d<\/p>\n Stacy helped Molly to climb on Blaze Face\u2019s back, behind her.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere does Miss O\u2019Toole live?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/p>\n \u201cBlood Alley, at the end of the street,\u201d Molly replied.<\/p>\n Stacy paled, and shuddered.\u00a0\u00a0 It had not been so long ago since she was abducted by men working for her late uncle, John McKenna, and held prisoner in one of the tenements along that row.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 If her parents, Paris McKenna and Ben Cartwright, hadn\u2019t found out where she was and come to the rescue, she would have almost certainly been murdered there.<\/p>\n \u201cWould you rather wait for Molly \u2018n me here, Little Sister?\u201d Hoss queried gently, accurately discerning the reason for Stacy\u2019s discomfort.<\/p>\n Stacy swallowed, then resolutely shook her head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m ok, Big Brother,\u201d she tried to reassure him.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLet\u2019s go see Miss O\u2019Toole.\u201d<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n At first glance, the O\u2019Toole residence appeared no different than most of the other desolate, uninhabited structures lining both sides of the narrow, dirt alley.\u00a0\u00a0 No light shone from the front window facing the street, and there was no sign of activity within.\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss also noted with dismay that no smoke rose from the chimney, despite the heavy frost covering the small patches of vegetation along the street.<\/p>\n \u201cHoss, I think the front door\u2019s open,\u201d Stacy noted, with heart in mouth, as the trio dismounted.<\/p>\n \u201cStacy, I want you to take Molly an\u2019 the horses an\u2019 take cover behind that bush over there,\u201d Hoss pointed to a large overgrown shrub growing at the edge of the road across from the O\u2019Toole residence. \u00a0\u00a0\u201cIf\u00a0 I ain\u2019t outta there in fifteen minutes, you two go fetch the sheriff.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe will, Big Brother,\u201d Stacy promised, \u201cbut you be careful in there all the same, alright?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI will,\u201d Hoss promised.<\/p>\n Stacy, Molly, and the two horses quickly moved to cover, while Hoss drew his gun and began to move cautiously up the dirt path leading to the open front door.<\/p>\n After what seemed an eternity, Hoss finally reached the wooden stoop in front of the door.\u00a0\u00a0 He quickly moved to the side where the hinges were, and flattened himself against the wall.\u00a0\u00a0 Thankfully, the front window was on the other side of the door.\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss took a deep breath, and rapped loudly and forcefully on the door.<\/p>\n \u201cLotus?\u00a0\u00a0 Timmy?\u00a0\u00a0 Anyone home?\u201d he called out.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s Hoss Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n No answer.<\/p>\n \u201cHello!\u201d Hoss called out again.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAnyone home?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cM-Mister Hoss?\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss found himself looking into the small frightened face of a hazel eyed young boy, with thick black hair.\u00a0\u00a0 His eyes were as round as saucers.\u00a0\u00a0 The reddened cheeks and swollen eyelids, told Hoss that the child had spent a great deal of time crying.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTimmy?\u00a0\u00a0 Where\u2019s your ma?\u201d he immediately returned his gun to its holster and knelt down so that he could be at eye level for the young child.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know where she is, Mister Hoss,\u201d Timmy replied, his voice barely audible.\u00a0\u00a0 He was barefoot, clad in a pair of thin, cotton pajama bottoms and no shirt.\u00a0\u00a0 A worn cashmere shawl, a gift to his mother from an admirer long ago, was draped over his small, thin frame.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMa didn\u2019t come home last night.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss took Timmy\u2019s small hands in his own large one, noting with concern and dismay they were ice cold to the touch.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTimmy, you \u2018n me are gonna see what we c\u2019n do t\u2019 find your ma,\u201d he promised.<\/p>\n Timmy nodded solemnly.<\/p>\n With his promise to the cold, frightened boy standing before him, Hoss took matters firmly in hand.\u00a0\u00a0 He sent Stacy and Molly on to school, instructing them to let the teacher know that Timmy O\u2019Toole would not be in class that day.\u00a0\u00a0 Molly protested vigorously.<\/p>\n \u201cMolly, you know Timmy\u2019s in good hands with Hoss,\u201d Stacy said, with an almost uncharacteristic show of good old fashioned common sense.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI think the only person I\u2019d trust more than my big brother to look after Timmy is his ma.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She paused, allowing her words to sink in.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBesides, if YOUR ma found out you\u2019d skipped school, there\u2019d be ummm . . . you know what to pay.\u201d<\/p>\n Molly, unable to argue with Stacy on either point, reluctantly gave in and went on to school.<\/p>\n \u201cTimmy, you \u2018n me\u2019s gonna pay Sheriff Coffee a visit first thing to let him know about your ma,\u201d Hoss said.<\/p>\n \u201cMister Hoss, I don\u2019t want to get her in trouble,\u201d Timmy protested.<\/p>\n \u201cYou won\u2019t,\u201d Hoss promised.\u00a0\u00a0 Lotus O\u2019Toole was, more than likely, already in serious trouble.\u00a0\u00a0 Otherwise, she would have come home last night after getting off work at the Silver Dollar.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTimmy, wherever your ma is right now, she probably needs help,\u201d Hoss explained carefully.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s why we\u2019re goin\u2019 to see Sheriff Coffee.\u00a0\u00a0 So \u2018s he can help your ma.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cM-Mister Hoss?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, Timmy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat if . . . what if Ma\u2019s dead?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTimmy, we got no way of knowin\u2019 that right now,\u201d Hoss said in a gentle, yet firm tone.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c \u2018Til we do, you gotta hope for the best.\u201d<\/p>\n Timmy nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cWe got \u2018bout another hour \u2018fore Sheriff Coffee\u2019s in his office,\u201d Hoss said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHow \u2018bout I fix you a nice big breakfast, \u2018fore you wash an\u2019 git dressed?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not hungry right now, Mister Hoss,\u201d the boy said miserably.<\/p>\n \u201cAlright, you can eat later,\u201d Hoss said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLet\u2019s git you washed and dressed.\u201d<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n \u201cChildren, time for recess,\u201d Miss Tess, the school teacher announced.\u00a0\u00a0 She was a stolidly built black woman, aged by all appearances in her late fifties or early sixties.\u00a0\u00a0 Those who had occasion to spend even a few extra minutes with her came away with the distinct impression she was far older than outward appearance indicated.\u00a0\u00a0 Her hair, worn in a sensible chignon, was mostly salt and pepper gray.\u00a0\u00a0 The top and sides framing her face, however, were pure white.<\/p>\n As a teacher, Miss Tess\u2019 knowledge was impeccable and extensive.\u00a0\u00a0 She imparted that knowledge to her students in an interesting, lively, and often humorous manner.\u00a0 Yet she was a firm, strict disciplinarian, known far and wide as one who did not suffer fools gladly.\u00a0\u00a0 Miss Tess was also well known for a quick smile, a helping hand, a deep abiding love and compassion for those around her, and a quick, earthy sense of humor.<\/p>\n \u201cStacy Cartwright, may I see you for a moment please?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Ma\u2019am,\u201d Stacy rose from her seat and made her way toward the teachers\u2019 desk past the tidal surge of students racing in the opposite direction for the great outdoors.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re in trouble now, Miss High and Mighty Cartwright!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 It was Judge Caine\u2019s son, Abel.\u00a0\u00a0 His father, a widower, overindulged the boy on material possessions while short changing him with regard to parental love, attention, and discipline.\u00a0\u00a0 The result was an angry young trouble maker at the beginning of his teen years.<\/p>\n Stacy pointedly ignored the boy.<\/p>\n \u201cHey!\u00a0\u00a0 Where do you get off walking by me like I don\u2019t exist?\u201d Abel demanded indignantly, his brow knotting with anger.<\/p>\n \u201cAbel Caine, I said it\u2019s time for recess,\u201d Miss Tess reminded him in a soft, quiet voice, carrying in it the raw power of an approaching thunder storm.<\/p>\n Abel opened his mouth to utter the smart remark that lay on the tip of his tongue.\u00a0\u00a0 The look in Miss Tess\u2019 black eyes led him to think before speaking for perhaps the first time in his young life.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYes, Ma\u2019am,\u201d he sighed, before turning heel and fleeing from the school house.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Miss Tess?\u201d Stacy asked, upon reaching the front of the room.<\/p>\n \u201cYou and Molly O\u2019Hanlan already told me that Timmy O\u2019Toole wouldn\u2019t be in class today,\u201d the teacher said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCan you tell me why?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Ma\u2019am,\u201d Stacy replied, grateful that Miss Tess had opted to pursue this privately.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt seems his ma didn\u2019t come home last night.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh dear.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMiss Tess, I don\u2019t know what you may have heard about Miss O\u2019Toole around town,\u201d Stacy said, feeling oddly on the defensive. \u00a0\u00a0\u201cBut, Miss O\u2019Toole loves Timmy more \u2018n just about anything.\u00a0\u00a0 She\u2019d never just up and leave him like this.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Stacy, I didn\u2019t mean to imply that Miss O\u2019Toole\u2019s an unfit mother in any way,\u201d Miss Tess readily apologized.<\/p>\n \u201cI should be the one apologizing, Miss Tess,\u201d Stacy said ruefully.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m forever speaking first, thinking about it later.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou took up for a friend, Stacy,\u201d Miss Tess said with a smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou don\u2019t need to ever apologize to me for that.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She fell silent briefly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhere\u2019s Timmy now?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy brother, Hoss, said he was taking Timmy to see Sheriff Coffee . . . to report his ma missing,\u201d Stacy replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAfter that, knowing my big brother as I do,\u201d she smiled, \u201cTimmy\u2019ll probably stay with us at the Ponderosa \u2018til Miss O\u2019Toole\u2019s found.\u201d<\/p>\n Miss Tess returned Stacy\u2019s smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat big brother of yours has a big heart, doesn\u2019t he?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Ma\u2019am, he sure does,\u201d Stacy replied, the love, awe, and respect she felt for Hoss readily apparent in her voice and her face, \u201cand its as big as all outdoors.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, Stacy, you may go on outside with the others,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Ma\u2019am.\u201d<\/p>\n Tess knew, after that brief conversation with Stacy Cartwright, that she and her young prot\u00e9g\u00e9e had been dispatched to Virginia City to help young Timmy O\u2019Toole, and his mother.\u00a0\u00a0 That much was clear.\u00a0\u00a0 Tess also knew, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that this assignment involved far more than simply helping the O\u2019Tooles.\u00a0\u00a0 A great evil had been committed, capable of unleashing terrible repercussions, if things were not put right, as quickly as possible.<\/p>\n Tess leveled a withering glare toward the heavens.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe problem with that is I haven\u2019t a clue as to where to BEGIN putting things right,\u201d she said aloud.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou haven\u2019t exactly been what I would call forthcoming on this.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She sighed, and shook her head dolefully.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cFather,\u201d she prayed earnestly, \u201cfor right now, I just ask that you do one thing.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She paused.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPlease, let someone find Timmy O\u2019Toole\u2019s mother as quickly as possible . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n \u201cExcuse me, Sir . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n Ben Cartwright, standing at the Silver Dollar Saloon bar, nursing a mug of beer, turned and smiled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJoseph, glad you\u2019re\u2014 \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 The smile abruptly faded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI . . . for a minute there, I thought . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe name\u2019s Jonathan Smith,\u201d the young man said, holding out his hand.<\/p>\n Ben took the young man\u2019s hand and shook it.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBen Cartwright,\u201d he said, grinning again, in spite of himself.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t believe this!\u00a0\u00a0 You could very easily pass for my youngest son\u2019s older identical twin brother.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, you know what they say, Mister Cartwright,\u201d Jonathan said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAll of us have an exact double living in the world somewhere.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSam!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Ben?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA drink for my friend here,\u201d Ben ordered.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s on me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYour friend?\u00a0 Isn\u2019t that . . . . \u201d the bartender stared long and hard at Jonathan Smith.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo, it ain\u2019t!\u00a0\u00a0 Gotta admit the resemblance is uncanny, though.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt is indeed,\u201d Ben agreed.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019ll ya have?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA beer if I may,\u201d Jonathan ordered, then returned his attention to Ben.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThank you, Mister Cartwright.\u00a0\u00a0 Now if you could point me in the direction of a good boarding house and a job . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAs a matter of fact, I can do both,\u201d Ben said earnestly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cRumors of a big silver strike up north have drawn a lot men away from the ranches in these parts, and all of us are short handed.\u00a0\u00a0 If you\u2019re looking for work, I have plenty.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGreat,\u201d Jonathan said, smiling.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhen do I start?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAs soon as my son your double joins us,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n Joe Cartwright walked in, as if on cue, looking a little downcast.\u00a0\u00a0 He and his father had ridden to Virginia City for the purpose of hiring men.\u00a0\u00a0 Normally, there would be more than enough drifters, the people just passing through, to help out on all of the big spreads during the busy times of the year.\u00a0\u00a0 This morning, however,\u00a0 with the growing rumors of silver and even gold to the north, there were virtually no drifters to be found, let alone hired.<\/p>\n \u201cJoseph, over here!\u201d Ben called to his youngest son.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, Pa, if I hadn\u2019t had BAD luck in trying to find and hire men this morning, I\u2019d have had no luck at all,\u201d Joe said ruefully.<\/p>\n \u201cI actually had someone come to me,\u201d Ben said with a grin.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJoseph, this is Jonathan Smith.\u00a0\u00a0 He\u2019s new in town and looking for work.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He paused. \u00a0\u00a0\u201cMister Smith, this is my youngest son, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood meeting you, Mister Cartwright,\u201d Jonathan smiled and extended his hand.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m real pleased to meet you, too, Mister Smith,\u201d Joe said, shaking the older man\u2019s hand, \u201cbut, taking into account that my pa here . . . my older brother, Hoss . . . and I all answer to Mister Cartwright at one time or another, I think things will be a lot less confusing if you call me Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSure thing, Joe,\u201d Jonathan readily agreed, \u201cbut only if you call me Jonathan.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen Jonathan it is,\u201d Joe replied, his grin broadening into a warm smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhen can you start?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRight now this minute,\u201d Jonathan replied.<\/p>\n \u201cNot thinking of heading north to check out those rumors of silver and gold in them thar hills . . . are you?\u201d Joe ventured.<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d Jonathan smiled, and shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not much of a gamblin\u2019 man, I\u2019m afraid.\u00a0\u00a0 When it comes to making a living, I\u2019d rather go with the sure thing every time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJoe?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDoes Mister Smith in any way look familiar to you?\u201d\u00a0 Ben asked, then waited expectantly for Joe\u2019s reaction.<\/p>\n Joe studied Jonathan Smith for a long moment, then shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSorry, Pa, and no offense, Jonathan, but I\u2019m afraid he doesn\u2019t look like anyone I<\/em> know.\u201d<\/p>\n For a minute, Ben looked a little crestfallen.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell,\u201d he picked up the mug and finished the last of his beer, \u201cwe\u2019d better get on home.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJust a minute, Pa,\u201d Joe said.\u00a0\u00a0 He reached into the inside pocket of his jacket and pulled out a book of short children\u2019s stories.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI picked this up for Timmy at the church rummage sale last month . . . you know, the one they had after Mister O\u2019Flynn\u2019s still blew up and burned most of the building to the ground.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI remember,\u201d Ben said with a scowl.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been meaning to give it to Timmy, but he and I haven\u2019t managed to be at the same place at the same time,\u201d Joe continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI thought maybe I\u2019d give it to Lotus since we\u2019re here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAlright, Son,\u201d Ben agreed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJonathan and I\u2019ll be waiting out by the buckboard.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe first looked for Sam, the bartender, only to find the man no where in sight.\u00a0\u00a0 He pocketed the book and sighed, resigned to giving it to Timmy another time.\u00a0\u00a0 As he turned to leave, he saw Sally Tyler walking down from the upstairs level, looking very subdued.<\/p>\n \u201cSally . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood mornin\u2019, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI have a book for Timmy,\u201d Joe said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI got it at the church rummage sale last month.\u00a0\u00a0 Is Lotus here?\u00a0\u00a0 I thought I\u2019d . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 The stricken, horrified look on Sally\u2019s face strangled the remaining words in his throat.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, Dear, you don\u2019t know do you?\u201d Sally murmured softly.<\/p>\n \u201cKnow what?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLotus O\u2019Toole never went home last night,\u201d Sally said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYour brother and sister found Timmy home by himself this mornin\u2019 . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n Joe felt the wind leave him, as if someone had just delivered a hard sucker punch to his stomach.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cN-no one has any idea w-where she may be?\u201d he barely managed to get the words out.<\/p>\n \u201cHoss and Timmy went to see Sheriff Coffee first thing,\u201d Sally said slowly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe . . . the sheriff that is . . . was here a while ago, asking questions, but so far, we haven\u2019t heard anything yet.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhere\u2019s Timmy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWith your brother, Hoss,\u201d Sally said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI imagine Timmy\u2019ll be out at the Ponderosa \u2018til his ma turns up.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe nodded, managing a wan smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cKnowing Hoss, you\u2019re probably right,\u201d he said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ll let me know if you hear anything?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSure will, Joe,\u201d Sally promised.<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n Chapter 2<\/p>\n Silence lay over the Cartwrights and Jonathan Smith like a heavy pall, as they rode from Virginia City back to the Ponderosa.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben had the reins, and Joe sat next to him, his body rigid with tension as shock underwent its dark transformation to anger, seething below a deceptively calm outward appearance.\u00a0\u00a0 Jonathan Smith had settled himself in the back of the buckboard, his thoughts racing light years a minute.<\/p>\n Though he had yet to meet either Lotus O\u2019Toole or her son, Timmy, Jonathan knew that he and his mentor and immediate supervisor, Tess, had been detoured to Virginia City to help them.\u00a0\u00a0 He also knew there was much more to this assignment than simply helping a young mother and her little boy.<\/p>\n Jonathan sensed the looming presence of a bigger picture, a veritable dark masterpiece that somehow included Lotus and Timmy O\u2019Toole.\u00a0\u00a0 Most, though not all, of the elements making up that malevolent work of art, were already down on the proverbial canvas.\u00a0\u00a0 He and Tess had to find that picture and prevent its completion.\u00a0\u00a0 If they failed, there would be devastating repercussions, not only for Lotus O\u2019Toole and her young son, but for the Cartwright family as well.<\/p>\n . . . and, as if he and Tess didn\u2019t already have too many metaphorical flies in the ointment, The Boss, the One to whom he and Tess both answered, had not seen fit to provide much in the way of details.<\/p>\n Jonathan\u2019s thoughts turned to Joe Cartwright.\u00a0\u00a0 The missing O\u2019Toole woman was a close friend, and had been so since the day both of them entered the first grade at the Virginia City School, according to the local scuttlebutt.\u00a0\u00a0 That much was obvious.\u00a0\u00a0 Equally obvious . . . neither ever had entertained anything of a romantic nature toward one another.\u00a0\u00a0 Joe was fond of Miss O\u2019Toole\u2019s young son, as evidenced by the book he had purchased as a gift to the lad, but, at the same time, it was clear that the youngest Cartwright son was not the boy\u2019s father.<\/p>\n \u201c . . . the boy\u2019s father,\u201d<\/em> Jonathan silently turned those words over in his mind several times, like a chanted prayer, or mantra.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c . . . . the boy\u2019s father, the boy\u2019s father.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0 Those words resonated within Jonathan, leaving him with an odd, haunting sense of foreboding.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHey, Boss,\u201d<\/em> Jonathan prayed silently.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWho IS Timmy O\u2019Toole\u2019s father?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Silence.\u00a0\u00a0 No name, not even the subtlest of hints.\u00a0\u00a0 There was only the strong conviction that Timmy O\u2019Toole\u2019s father was one of the major elements in the dark masterpiece that someone back in Virginia City toiled upon so laboriously.<\/p>\n \u201cHey, Boss, a lot of good, decent people are depending on Tess and me to put a stop to . . . to . . . to whatever it is that\u2019s going on,\u201d<\/em> Jonathan prayed again silently.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf you could see your way to giving us\u00a0 a hint as to where we might<\/em> begin looking for the boy\u2019s father . . . well, speaking for myself?\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019d sure appreciate it.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n He would know Timmy O\u2019Toole\u2019s father IF he saw him.\u00a0\u00a0 Jonathan sighed and shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 The Boss could be so frustratingly elusive sometimes!<\/p>\n The movement of a dark shadow circling above caught Jonathan\u2019s attention, drawing him from his troubled thoughts.\u00a0\u00a0 It was a lone turkey vulture circling high above the surrounding meadow, its grasses already clad in their autumn yellows and golds.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister Cartwright . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n Ben glanced up.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYes, I see it, Mister Smith,\u201d he said.\u00a0\u00a0 He steered the buckboard off the road, and put on the brakes.<\/p>\n \u201cPa, what is it?\u201d Joe asked, trying to shake his own growing feelings of foreboding.<\/p>\n \u201cTurkey vulture,\u201d Ben said, pointing at the bird circling overhead.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cProbably a dead wild animal, but I . . . I feel like I should make certain.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben, Joe, and Jonathan climbed down from the buckboard and started walking, side by side out into the meadow, toward the spot over which the bird above continued to circle.\u00a0\u00a0 Joe, being the youngest of the three, surged ahead.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe,\u201d Ben called out.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou see anything?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, not . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Joe froze, the words and thoughts fleeing from his mind as wild animals flee from an approaching forest fire.\u00a0\u00a0 There, lying on the ground in front of him was a bare human leg, female, covered by blood and deep purple bruises.\u00a0\u00a0 With heart thudding painfully against his throat, Joe gingerly parted the grasses.<\/p>\n Lotus O\u2019Toole lay sprawled on the ground, barely conscious, clinging to the tattered remains of the dress she had worn to work last night.\u00a0\u00a0 Her nose had been broken and bloodied.\u00a0\u00a0 Her right eye was swollen shut under deep purple and sickly green bruising.\u00a0\u00a0 Joe could also see a string of small, oval shaped bruises, hued in a deep purple almost black on her arms and around her neck.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPA!\u00a0\u00a0 JONATHAN!\u00a0\u00a0 IT\u2019S LOTUS!\u201d he yelled, sobbing.<\/p>\n \u201cNuh . . . nuh . . . n-no . . . . \u201d Lotus tried to speak through bleeding and swollen lips.\u00a0\u00a0 She stared up at Joe, her good eye round with sheer terror.\u00a0\u00a0 Clutching the tattered remains of her clothing closer to her body, she tried to scuttle away.<\/p>\n \u201cL-Lotus . . . it\u2019s me . . . Joe C-Cartwright,\u201d Joe said, his voice shaking with shock and outrage.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPlease . . . I won\u2019t hurt you . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJ-Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Lotus,\u201d he knelt down, bringing himself closer to eye level.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s me!\u00a0\u00a0 Joe Cartwright!\u201d<\/p>\n Lotus stared at him dazed for a long moment, then burst into tears.<\/p>\n Joe slowly, carefully moved toward her.\u00a0\u00a0 When he, after what seemed an eternity, reached her side, he carefully put his arms around her, with the intention of offering comfort and reassurance.\u00a0\u00a0 Her body was ice cold.\u00a0\u00a0 He could feel it through his clothing, as well as where his hands came into direct contact with flesh.\u00a0\u00a0 Though Lotus made no move to resist, he could feel her body going rigid.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe?\u201d Ben was the first to come into view, followed a scant second later by Jonathan.<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s been hurt bad, Pa,\u201d Joe murmured, numb with shock and horror.<\/p>\n \u201cGet her into the wagon,\u201d Ben ordered, shaken himself by the sight of Lotus O\u2019Toole\u2019s bruised and bleeding body.<\/p>\n \u201cWe gonna take her back to town, Mister Cartwright?\u201d Jonathan asked.<\/p>\n Ben shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe Ponderosa\u2019s closer,\u201d he said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll send one of the men to town for the doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n Ben sat on the settee next to his youngest son, feeling more helpless than he could remember ever having felt in his entire life.\u00a0\u00a0 After they had settled Lotus O\u2019Toole in the guest room upstairs, and sent Candy back to town to fetch Doctor Martin, Joe had walked down the steps and collapsed onto the settee, without a word.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben had tried to coax Joe into opening up, and giving vent to the feelings of grief and rage that almost certainly had to be building.\u00a0\u00a0 Joe said nothing.\u00a0\u00a0 He sat there, hands folded in his lap, staring at the fire in the fire place in a complete daze.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben found himself wishing that Joe would go on a rampage . . . that he would scream, cry, demolish the furniture; anything but this terrible silence.<\/p>\n The soft sound of footfalls descending the stairs drew Ben\u2019s attention away from Joe.\u00a0\u00a0 It was Doctor Martin, his eyes round with horrified astonishment and face several shades paler than normal.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben rose stiffly and walked over to meet the doctor at the bottom of the steps.<\/p>\n \u201cMy God, Ben,\u201d the doctor murmured, his voice barely audible.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHow can one human being inflict such . . . such injury on another?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPaul, what happened to her?\u201d Ben asked, casting a furtive, sidelong glance at Joe still seated on the settee, staring into the flames.<\/p>\n \u201cShe was tortured, Ben . . . and . . . and worse,\u201d the doctor said, his voice shaking.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s also got several broken ribs, her right leg is broken, and her left hand . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He broke off for a moment to regain a measure of control.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI . . . there\u2019s a good chance I may have to amputate.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben closed his eyes, and reached out for the banister for support.<\/p>\n \u201c . . . and those are only the injuries I can see,\u201d Paul said, his face a mask of utter and complete despair.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGod only knows how badly injured she is inside.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 The doctor fell silent a moment, laboring to compose himself.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s also suffering from frostbite and exposure,\u201d he continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMiss O\u2019Toole was more than likely out in that field most of the night.\u201d<\/p>\n Tossed there, and probably left for dead, given her physical condition.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben felt very ill.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve given her a strong sedative,\u201d Paul Martin continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019ll sleep through until tomorrow morning, but someone should stay with her.\u00a0\u00a0 Hop Sing\u2019s with her now, but when she wakes up . . . given the circumstances of her injuries, I\u2019d strongly recommend you have a woman here to care for her.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He paused.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMy wife, Lily, said she\u2019d be more than willing to help out.\u00a0\u00a0 I can personally vouch for her expertise in the field of nursing.\u00a0\u00a0 There\u2019s also Gretchen Braun, her daughter, Heidi, and Winnie Patterson.\u00a0\u00a0 All three of them are able and capable nurses.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWould you mind making arrangements with them?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot at all, Ben,\u201d Paul promised.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll be back after supper to look in on Miss O\u2019Toole.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ll bring Lily back with me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, Paul,\u201d Ben said gratefully.<\/p>\n \u201cAs I said, I\u2019ve given her a very strong sedative . . . strong enough so that she\u2019ll sleep through the night,\u201d Paul reiterated.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve left further instructions with Hop Sing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPaul, is she . . . . \u201d Ben closed his eyes again and took a deep breath.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat are Miss O\u2019Toole\u2019s chances of . . . of surviving what happened to her?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHard to say, Ben,\u201d the doctor said somberly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHer injuries are very serious.\u00a0\u00a0 When you also take into account the fact of having spent the night outside in . . . in the near altogether . . . and given the kind of life she\u2019s led since the deaths of her parents and grandparents, she, like as not, wasn\u2019t in the best of health going into all this . . . .\u00a0 \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Paul\u2019s voice trailed off to an ominous silence.\u00a0\u00a0 He closed his eyes and took a deep, ragged breath.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cEven so,\u201d he resumed, \u201cif it was simply a matter of binding physical wounds, I could give you a guarded yes, she has a chance of making it.<\/p>\n \u201cHowever, what . . . happened to her . . . is NEVER simply a matter of physical injury,\u201d Paul continued slowly, earnestly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s a brutal violation of soul and spirit that\u2019s far more devastating than physical pain.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cH-how does that . . . affect her prognosis, Paul?\u201d Ben voiced the question, all the while dreading the answer.<\/p>\n \u201cBen, I\u2019ve seen many women, who have gone through what Miss O\u2019Toole has . . . without suffering even a fraction of the other physical injuries, but died not long after, because they just plain and simply could not muster the wherewithal to go on living,\u201d Paul said grimly.<\/p>\n \u201cIs there no hope, then, Paul?\u201d Ben asked.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo hope at all?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAll I can give you with regard to prognosis, Ben, is a simple I don\u2019t know,\u201d the doctor said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAs for hope, every moment Miss O\u2019Toole remains alive is reason for hope.\u00a0\u00a0 I wish I could give you a more definite answer.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI understand,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll just have to take it moment by moment, then.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI need to head on back to town,\u201d Paul said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSee you after supper.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThanks again, Paul, for everything,\u201d Ben said as he saw the doctor to the door.<\/p>\n \u201cP-Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n A strangled, barely audible voice from the sofa fell on Ben\u2019s ears like a dynamite blast.\u00a0\u00a0 He turned, and glanced over at Joe, anxiety mingled with grave concern.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYes, Joe?\u201d he prompted quietly.<\/p>\n \u201cI . . . I heard what Doc Martin said . . . . \u201d Joe continued, his voice breaking.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPa, what kind of . . . of monster do we have living among us . . . . ?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 The remainder of his question was drowned in a torrent of fierce weeping.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben was at his youngest son\u2019s side in an instant, wrapping his arms tight around the younger man\u2019s shoulders.\u00a0\u00a0 Joe, for the first time in many years, buried his face against his father\u2019s shoulder and wept.<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Candy took Jonathan Smith in hand, fetching bed linens and towel from the armoire cabinet in the bunk house, where all the single hired hands slept.<\/p>\n \u201cThat top bunk\u2019s mine,\u201d Candy said affably, pointing to the bunk beds set against the windowless north wall, \u201cand the one under it\u2019s taken by my good friend, Derek Welles.\u00a0\u00a0 That one . . . . \u201d he turned and pointed to the bunk bed nearest the door, \u201cis occupied by the Harris brothers.\u00a0\u00a0 The other beds against that wall are also taken, but the rest are all pretty much up for grabs.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn that case, I\u2019ll take the one over here,\u201d Jonathan pointed to the unoccupied bed against the west wall, apart from all the other occupied beds.<\/p>\n \u201cI hope you\u2019re not the anti-social type,\u201d Candy teased with a grin.<\/p>\n \u201cOnly at bedtime,\u201d Jonathan quipped.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cY\u2019 see . . . I snore louder than a lowing sick cow.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGotta give you credit for being the first man I\u2019ve ever heard come right out and admit it,\u201d Candy said, with a wry roll of his eyes.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister Cartwright told me that he expects you to join the family for supper tonight,\u201d he continued, \u201cserved promptly at eight.\u00a0\u00a0 You\u2019d better be on time, or you\u2019ll have to answer to Hop Sing . . . and THAT, My Friend, could get very, very ugly.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThanks, Mister Canaday, I\u2019ll remember that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe name\u2019s Candy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCandy,\u201d Jonathan repeated the name, as he placed an unbleached cotton duffle bag, half full, on top of his bunk.<\/p>\n \u201cI can see you\u2019re the kind of man who likes to travel light,\u201d Candy remarked, his eyes straying to the duffle bag.<\/p>\n \u201cMy needs are generally few and very simple,\u201d Jonathan said with an indifferent shrug.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ll have the rest of the day to relax and get yourself settled in,\u201d Candy said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d take full advantage of the relax part, too, if I were you.\u00a0\u00a0 Tomorrow, you\u2019ll be hard at work starting at sun-up.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He grinned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSee you at supper, Jonathan.\u201d<\/p>\n Jonathan had his few belongings unpacked and put away in very short order.\u00a0 A glance at the clock, hanging on the wall facing the door, told him he had several hours free and clear before supper.\u00a0\u00a0 He stepped out of the bunk house, with the intention of taking a brief stroll, to begin acquainting himself with the house and immediate surrounding grounds.<\/p>\n \u201cMister Smith.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 It was Ben Cartwright, stepping out onto the front porch.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHow\u2019s the settling in?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDone,\u201d Jonathan replied.<\/p>\n \u201cAlready?\u201d Ben queried, raising an eyebrow in surprise.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou work fast.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI travel light, Mister Cartwright,\u201d Jonathan said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo point in hauling around a bunch of things I\u2019ll never use, and it makes the packing and unpacking go a lot quicker.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He fell silent for a moment.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHow\u2019s . . . Miss O\u2019Toole doing?\u201d he ventured cautiously.<\/p>\n Ben told him what Doctor Martin had said.<\/p>\n Jonathan had seen the devastating results of the harm human beings were capable of inflicting on one another.\u00a0\u00a0 The American Civil War had kept him and Tess very busy, with their missions of healing and reconciliation more often than not overlapping one another.\u00a0\u00a0 He had seen human bodies shot, stabbed, bayoneted, and blown apart by cannon fire.\u00a0\u00a0 He had worked with many of the survivors of all those bloody battles, their bodies scarred and mutilated, often missing limbs, their souls shattered almost beyond repair.\u00a0\u00a0 Not even that had adequately prepared him for seeing the wounds inflicted on Lotus O\u2019Toole\u2019s body and soul.<\/p>\n \u201cI . . . understand Miss O\u2019Toole has a son,\u201d Jonathan said slowly, staring at the barn.\u00a0\u00a0 He thought he detected movement.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, a little boy named Timmy, age six,\u201d Ben replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s a very bright little boy.\u00a0\u00a0 He just started first grade a few weeks ago, and he enjoys every minute of it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDoes Timmy know . . . about his ma?\u201d<\/p>\n Ben shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s been with my older son, Hoss, and daughter, Stacy, down at the corral for most of the afternoon,\u201d he replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThey should be coming back— \u201d<\/p>\n Jonathan\u2019s ears picked up the sound of two approaching horses.<\/p>\n \u201cThat must be them now,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCome on, Mister Smith.\u00a0\u00a0 You can meet the rest of my family.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss and Stacy, riding their mounts Chubb and Blaze Face respectively,\u00a0 approached from behind the barn.\u00a0\u00a0 Timmy rode on Chubb, seated in front of Hoss.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben walked over to greet them, with Jonathan following close at his heels.<\/p>\n \u201cHey, Pa . . . Li\u2019l Brother,\u201d Hoss greeted the pair as he and Stacy dismounted.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAny luck findin\u2019 . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He frowned, as he got a good, close look at Jonathan.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHey!\u00a0\u00a0 You ain\u2019t my brother!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe resemblance is almost scary,\u201d Stacy quipped with a warm smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHowdy,\u201d she greeted Jonathan with extended hand.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m Stacy Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJonathan Smith,\u201d he said shaking her hand.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m Hoss Cartwright,\u201d Hoss affably introduced himself.\u00a0\u00a0 He shook hands with Jonathan, then turned to help Timmy O\u2019Toole down from Chubb\u2019s saddle.<\/p>\n \u201cStacy, why don\u2019t you and Jonathan tend to the horses,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHoss, Timmy, come on inside, I have something to tell you . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSomeone\u2019s found Miss O\u2019Toole,\u201d Stacy said, taking Blaze Face by the reins.<\/p>\n Jonathan took hold of Chubb and followed Stacy into the barn.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAs a matter of fact, yes,\u201d he confirmed, looking over at her in mild surprise.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHow did you know?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe look on Pa\u2019s face,\u201d Stacy replied, removing her saddle.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t think the news is good either.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, it\u2019s not,\u201d Jonathan said.\u00a0\u00a0 He had already removed the saddle and blanket from Chubb\u2019s back.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYour pa, Joe, and I found her in the meadow along the road from Virginia City.\u00a0\u00a0 She was hurt pretty bad.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s not going to die . . . is she?\u201d Stacy asked, her eyes round as saucers.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t— \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He turned, his eyes falling on the open barn door.\u00a0\u00a0 There, standing framed in the door, stood Andrew, fashionably clad in a gray flannel suit, white shirt, and navy blue tie.\u00a0\u00a0 Jonathan scowled.<\/p>\n \u201cMister Smith . . . . \u201d Stacy looked over at him, bewildered, then to the spot where his eyes were fixed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cW-What are you staring at?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Though she saw nothing, she did sense a presence.\u00a0\u00a0 She shuddered as an ice cold chill shot down the entire length of her spine.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t worry, Jonathan.\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy Cartwright can\u2019t see or hear me,\u201d Andrew said gravely.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cMaybe so, but she DOES sense your presence,\u201d<\/em> Jonathan communicated silently.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat are you doing here anyway?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI am needed,\u201d Andrew said simply.\u00a0\u00a0 With that, he turned heel and walked resolutely toward the house.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cCome on, Boss,\u201d<\/em> Jonathan implored silently, \u201chave a heart.\u00a0\u00a0 That woman has her whole life ahead of her . . . and she\u2019s got a little boy who needs her.\u00a0\u00a0 Please don\u2019t take her now.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n That evening, supper was served promptly at eight o\u2019clock.\u00a0\u00a0 Hop Sing had wisely decided to prepare a lighter fare, consisting of a chop suey made from leftovers, and a salad of raw spinach, carrots, cucumbers, and onions grown in a large patch of garden he maintained outside the kitchen door.<\/p>\n Joe Cartwright, his eyes still red and swollen, had declined supper, opting instead to turn in early.\u00a0\u00a0 As he watched his younger son slowly, almost reluctantly climb the steps, Ben made a mental note to ask Paul Martin to look in on him when he stopped by later to check on Lotus O\u2019Toole.<\/p>\n Candy and Hoss ate with their usual good appetites, with the latter trying to coax young Timmy O\u2019Toole into eating.\u00a0\u00a0 Timmy forced himself to eat a few bites, to please his friend, Mister Hoss, but it was clear his heart was not in his dinner.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben also ate, more from habit and knowing it was necessary in order to maintain his own strength, than from desire or appetite.\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy took a few reluctant bites of food, but pushed the majority of it into a pasty greenish-brown mass on her plate.<\/p>\n \u201cPa,\u201d Stacy, at length, broke the long, strained silence that had settled over family and guests like a pall.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMay I please be excused?\u00a0\u00a0 I have some homework to finish.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGo ahead, Stacy,\u201d Ben quietly gave her permission to leave the table.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll look in on you before bedtime.\u201d<\/p>\n Stacy nodded mutely, then left.<\/p>\n \u201cTimmy, I think it\u2019s time we git you ready for bed,\u201d Hoss said, knowing the boy wasn\u2019t going to eat any more food.<\/p>\n \u201cCan\u2019t I see Ma, Mister Hoss, please?\u201d Timmy begged.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPretty please?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDoc Martin\u2019ll be back soon to check up on your ma,\u201d Hoss said.\u00a0\u00a0 He took Timmy by the hand and led him through the living room toward the steps.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll check with him, an\u2019 see what he says.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOk, Mister Hoss,\u201d Timmy agreed sadly.<\/p>\n A few moments later, the sound of a buggy, drawn by a single horse was heard out in front of the house.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat must be Paul now,\u201d Ben said rising.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks for dinner, Mister Cartwright,\u201d Jonathan said, as he and Candy also rose from the table.\u00a0\u00a0 He looked around for Hop Sing, but couldn\u2019t find him.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWould you mind giving my compliments to the chef?\u201d<\/p>\n Ben managed a wan smile, as they stepped through the front door, out onto the porch.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll be glad to, Mister Smith,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cUnless you need me for anything, I\u2019m going to go ahead and turn in,\u201d Jonathan said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCandy\u2019s told me I\u2019ve got a long, hard day ahead of me tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou do,\u201d Candy agreed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSo do I.\u00a0\u00a0 Goodnight, Mister Cartwright.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019m going to turn in myself.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben bade Candy and Jonathan good night, then turned his attention to Paul and Lily Martin, arriving in their buggy.\u00a0\u00a0 He gallantly helped Lily down from her seat, and grabbed her overnight bag from the floor in front.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you for coming out, Lily,\u201d Ben said gratefully.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI can\u2019t begin to tell you how much I appreciate this.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll do anything I can to help out, Ben, you know that,\u201d Lily said.\u00a0\u00a0 She turned and cast a quick, furtive glance over in the direction of her husband, noting with satisfaction that he seemed wholly intent on removing his jacket and his black bag from the back seat of their conveyance.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t tell Paul this,\u201d she added, taking great care to lower her voice, \u201cbut in all honesty, I\u2019m going to feel a lot safer being out at the Ponderosa tonight than I would staying in town.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow\u2019s Miss O\u2019Toole doing, Ben?\u201d Paul asked, falling in step along side his wife and the Cartwright family patriarch.<\/p>\n \u201cHop Sing told me a little while ago she started running a fever,\u201d Ben said gravely.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s to be expected,\u201d the doctor said.<\/p>\n \u201cHoss wanted me to ask you, if it would be possible for Timmy to see his mother for a few minutes,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0\u00a0 He opened the front door, and gestured for the Martins to enter.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI know she\u2019s badly bruised and battered, but I think it might do the boy good just to see her and know that she is here safe with us.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI agree, Ben,\u201d Paul said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cEven though she\u2019s sleeping, I think it\u2019ll do Miss O\u2019Toole good as well.\u00a0\u00a0 There\u2019s a theory out there that says the hearing\u2019s the last thing to go, whether it be fall asleep or even die.\u00a0\u00a0 According to that theory, Miss O\u2019Toole can probably still hear the sound of her little boy\u2019s voice, no matter how deeply she\u2019s sleeping.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAfter you see Miss O\u2019Toole, would you do me a favor and look in on Joe?\u00a0\u00a0 He was hit pretty hard by what happened to her.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSure thing, Ben.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben escorted the Martins to the guest bedroom, then returned to the great room downstairs to wait.\u00a0\u00a0 As he settled himself comfortably on the settee, his thoughts drifted back to the day he and Hop Sing took Little Joe to the school house in Virginia City for the first time . . . .<\/p>\n Though Marie, his wife and the boy\u2019s mother, had been dead for a little more than a year by that time, young Joe still felt her absence very keenly.\u00a0\u00a0 He hung back from the other children, clinging to Ben\u2019s hand for dear life, until Lotus O\u2019Toole arrived with her mother Kuan O\u2019Toole and maternal grandmother, Lei Ling.<\/em><\/p>\n Little Joe shyly approached Lei Ling, bowed, and offered a formal greeting in halting Chinese.\u00a0\u00a0 The venerable old woman was visibly moved by the young American boy\u2019s show of respect and his honest attempts at communication.\u00a0\u00a0 She, in turn introduced Joe, Ben, and Hop Sing to her daughter and granddaughter, with Hop Sing serving as translator.\u00a0\u00a0 Young Lotus was fluent in English and Chinese, speaking both with the very pronounced Irish brogue she had learned from her father, Sean O\u2019Toole. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n At recess, later on that afternoon, Little Joe Cartwright stepped in to defend the honor of Lotus O\u2019Toole by mopping up the school yard with Billy Caine, a second grader who stood half a head taller.\u00a0\u00a0 Billy insisted on changing Lotus\u2019 name to the ethnic slurs, referencing the nationalities of both her parents. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n That was the start of a friendship that would endure for the better part of the next twenty years.\u00a0\u00a0 At the age of fifteen, Lotus O\u2019Toole was forced leave school one year shy of graduation, and go to work at the Silver Dollar Saloon, when her parents and maternal grandparents were killed in a fire that destroyed most of Virginia City\u2019s Chinese section.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cPa?\u201d<\/p>\n The sound of his daughter\u2019s voice drew Ben from memory back to the present.\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy stood beside the settee, her school books in hand, with nearly the same look of numbing shock and horror on her face, that he had seen on Joe\u2019s earlier, when they had initially brought Lotus O\u2019Toole to the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat happened . . . t-to Miss O\u2019Toole?\u201d she ventured hesitantly.<\/p>\n Ben dreaded having to answer this question most of all.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSit down, Stacy,\u201d he invited quietly, gesturing to the place next to him on the sofa.<\/p>\n Stacy sat down and placed her books on the coffee table in front of the sofa and looked over at Ben expectantly.<\/p>\n Ben took a deep breath and told her, sparing her the more lurid details.<\/p>\n \u201cOh my God,\u201d Stacy whispered, her entire body trembling.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMy God!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She fell silent for long moment, unable to speak.\u00a0\u00a0 At length, she turned to Ben and said, \u201cI . . . I hope Sheriff Coffee catches the bloody ****!\u201d<\/p>\n The word was Paiute.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben knew from it\u2019s clipped syllables, almost spat rather than spoken, that the word had to be an obscenity, and a most vile one at that.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI agree with you completely,\u201d he said soberly.<\/p>\n Stacy looked over at him in surprise.<\/p>\n \u201cSome words need no translation,\u201d Ben assured her.<\/p>\n \u201cPa, would you mind riding with me to and from school, at least for the next few days?\u201d Stacy asked.<\/p>\n \u201cI was about to make that suggestion myself,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks, Pa,\u201d Stacy said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhoever hurt Miss O\u2019Toole is still out there, running around loose!\u00a0\u00a0 That scares me!\u00a0\u00a0 It also makes me mad, because I have to be afraid.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou having to be afraid makes ME angry, too,\u201d Ben said, slipping his arms around her.\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy leaned against him, drawing comfort and strength from his embrace.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben didn\u2019t tell her how much he was afraid for her.<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n Chapter 3<\/p>\n Doctor Martin, with the able assistance of his wife, gave the somnolent Lotus O\u2019Toole a cursory examination and changed her bandages.\u00a0\u00a0 Although a rise in body temperature was an expected consequence given her extensive injuries, her fever seemed to be climbing too high, too fast.\u00a0\u00a0 After sending Lilly down to ask Hop Sing if it might be possible to brew up the herbal poultice he used to treat fevers, and to get cold water and a cloth, he allowed Hoss to bring Timmy in for a few minutes.<\/p>\n \u201cYour ma\u2019s sound asleep,\u201d Hoss whispered to the boy.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou c\u2019n talk to her, but she ain\u2019t gonna talk back.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCan she h-hear me?\u201d Timmy asked.<\/p>\n \u201cI believe she can, Timmy,\u201d the doctor replied.<\/p>\n Timmy walked over close to the side of the bed and leaned down to whisper in his mother\u2019s ear, \u201cIt\u2019s me, Ma.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s Timmy.\u00a0\u00a0 I love you, Ma.\u00a0\u00a0 I love you very much.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 For a brief moment, the boy thought he saw his mother\u2019s lips curve upward, ever so slightly.<\/p>\n \u201cCome on, Timmy, time t\u2019 be getting you into bed,\u201d Hoss urged gently.<\/p>\n Timmy nodded, and after whispering a good night in his mother\u2019s ear, turned and left the room with Hoss.<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n \u201cBen?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 It was Doctor Martin, his face a curious mixture of weariness, misery, and discouragement.<\/p>\n \u201cI think . . . I\u2019d better turn in, Pa,\u201d Stacy said, taking her cue from the doctor\u2019s hesitancy.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSee you in the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood night, Stacy,\u201d Ben hugged her again and kissed her forehead.<\/p>\n The doctor waited until Stacy was safely upstairs.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI . . . won\u2019t be returning to Virginia City tonight, Ben,\u201d Paul said somberly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMiss O\u2019Toole\u2019s running a very high fever.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ve given her medicines, and asked Hop Sing to make up that poultice of his, but nothing seems to be working.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He paused.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf we can\u2019t stop her fever from rising . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 His voice trailed into an ominous silence.<\/p>\n Ben sank back down onto the sofa, feeling like he had just taken a hard blow to his solar plexus.\u00a0\u00a0 At length, he looked up, meeting the physician\u2019s eyes.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPaul?\u00a0\u00a0 Is there anything I can do?\u201d he asked in a voice barely audible.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAnything at all?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Ben, there is,\u201d Paul said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou can pray.\u201d<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n It was a most curious dream.\u00a0\u00a0 Lotus O\u2019Toole had spent most of the evening standing at the foot of a strange, large bed, looking down at a very tiny, very fragile woman\u2019s body.\u00a0\u00a0 She stared in horror at the swollen, battered face and the left hand, mangled beyond all recognition as such.\u00a0\u00a0 Lotus wondered, not for the first time, how anyone could possibly endure such pain, yet remain alive.\u00a0\u00a0 Though the woman\u2019s agony burned from a distant place, she, nevertheless, felt it very keenly. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Lotus watched as first Hop Sing tended to the injured woman, followed by the kindly white haired woman who carefully and gently applied herbal poultices and bathed her forehead with cold water.\u00a0\u00a0 Hop Sing and the kindly woman spoke, but Lotus could not make out their words.\u00a0\u00a0 They were garbled somehow, indistinct.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 She recognized Doctor Martin, of course, and realized somewhat belatedly that the white haired woman must be his wife.\u00a0\u00a0 Lotus knew this poor woman, almost swallowed whole by the enormous bed on which she was lying, was in the best possible hands.\u00a0\u00a0 The doctor and his wife were good, kind people.\u00a0\u00a0 They were wonderful to her when her son was born.<\/em><\/p>\n She watched as the doctor rose, and opened the bedroom door to admit Hoss Cartwright and Timmy.\u00a0 \u201cHoss . . . Hop sing . . . of course!\u00a0\u00a0 This must be the Ponderosa.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Lotus had spoken aloud, but no one in the room seemed to have heard her.\u00a0\u00a0 She watched, bemused and puzzled, as Timmy left Hoss\u2019 side and walked over to the woman lying on the bed.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s me, Ma.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s Timmy.\u00a0\u00a0 I love you, Ma.\u00a0\u00a0 I love you very much.\u201d<\/p>\n Lotus heard her son\u2019s words very clearly.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cGood night, Ma.\u00a0\u00a0 I love you.\u201d<\/p>\n Again, though the words were softly whispered, Lotus heard every one, clearly enunciated as she had taught him to speak.\u00a0\u00a0 In that moment, she realized, much to her horrified astonishment, that the battered woman lying on the bed was none other than herself.\u00a0\u00a0 There was a flurry of movement.\u00a0\u00a0 Timmy left the room with Hoss.\u00a0\u00a0 For a brief, panic stricken moment, she wanted desperately to run after them, to tell Timmy she loved him too, very much, to give him one more hug.\u00a0\u00a0 Her feet and legs refused to budge.\u00a0\u00a0 All she could do was stand there and watch helplessly as Hoss led Timmy from the room.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cLotus O\u2019Toole?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Lotus started violently at the sound of her own name.\u00a0\u00a0 She turned and saw a young man by all appearances, with hair the color of sand and the kindest, most compassionate blue eyes she had ever seen set within the frame of a human face.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cMy name is Andrew.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Lotus turned slowly, almost reluctantly and looked back at the tiny, frail shell lying on the bed before her.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re an angel of death, aren\u2019t you.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 It was a statement, not an inquiry.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cYes, Ma\u2019am.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Lotus was astonished to feel the sting of tears in her eyes.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOne question?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cYes, Ma\u2019am?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cWhat about my boy, Timmy?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cTimmy will be in good hands, Lotus.\u00a0\u00a0 Very good hands!\u00a0\u00a0 Through out the rest of his life, he will be surrounded by people . . . and angels . . . who will love and care for him,\u201d Andrew promised.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThey will never stop letting him know how much his mother loves him.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThank you, Andrew,\u201d Lotus sobbed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI . . . am ready to go with you now.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n The bed, the woman, the Martins, and the bedroom all seemed to vanish in a burst of white light.\u00a0\u00a0 It was the most brilliant white light Lotus had ever seen, yet was not blinding.\u00a0\u00a0 She felt a sense of warmth and peace steal over her, and love.\u00a0\u00a0 So much love, more than she could remember having felt in her whole life.\u00a0\u00a0 Lotus peered into the light.\u00a0\u00a0 She could barely make out four shadowy human forms moving toward her.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cLotus, come,\u201d it was her mother, clad in the same brilliant white as the light, reaching out to her.\u00a0\u00a0 Behind her mother stood her father and her maternal grandparents, all reaching out arms to welcome her.<\/em><\/p>\n Lotus took hold of Andrew\u2019s hand and led the way into the light.<\/em><\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n \u201cBen?\u201d<\/p>\n Ben\u2019s eyes snapped open.\u00a0\u00a0 He had obviously fallen asleep on the settee, though for the life of him, he could not remember having dozed off.\u00a0\u00a0 He immediately sat up, bracing himself for the worst.<\/p>\n The worst was not long in coming.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s gone, Ben,\u201d Paul Martin said very softly, very sadly.<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n The following morning, Ben and Stacy, riding Big Buck and Blaze Face respectively, left early for the school house in Virginia City, to allow the former time to speak with Miss Tess.\u00a0 This morning was like many other mornings before in Virginia City, and would be as many mornings to come.\u00a0\u00a0 Shop keepers opened their stores and worked diligently to set up their wares on the sidewalks as enticement for the casual person passing by.\u00a0\u00a0 The post office was already open, as was the bank.\u00a0\u00a0 George could be seen hurrying along the sheltered walkway toward the telegraph office.\u00a0\u00a0 Lucas Milburn, Ben\u2019s lawyer, and Sheriff Roy Coffee called out their greetings and waved, as Ben and Stacy passed.<\/p>\n Ben scanned the faces of the people, filling the streets and walkways, all going about their daily routine.\u00a0\u00a0 Up until yesterday morning, he took it for granted that Virginia City was a warm and friendly place, her people neighbors and friends.\u00a0\u00a0 Today, one of those placid, neighborly faces, intent on whatever business lay at hand, smiling and chatting with his neighbors, concealed a monster.\u00a0\u00a0 Virginia City was no longer warm and friendly, it was strange and alien.\u00a0\u00a0 As he and Stacy rode down Main Street toward the school house, Ben was struck by the large number of strange, unfamiliar faces among the populace of Virginia City.<\/p>\n The Cartwrights reached the school house before any of the other students and parents had arrived, as Ben had hoped they would.\u00a0\u00a0 They tethered their horses at the nearby hitching post and started across the school yard.<\/p>\n \u201cGood morning, Stacy,\u201d Miss Tess looked up form the open book on her desk, as father and daughter entered the classroom.\u00a0\u00a0 She rose, offering her hand to Ben.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou must be Stacy\u2019s father.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, I am,\u201d Ben replied, shaking her hand.\u00a0\u00a0 He couldn\u2019t quite shake the feeling that she had been expecting them.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBen Cartwright, Ma\u2019am.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m pleased to meet you, Mister Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPlease call me Ben.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAlright, Ben.\u00a0\u00a0 Most folks call me Tess,\u201d the teacher said warmly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI, uh take it you\u2019re here to tell me about Timmy\u2019s ma?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Ma\u2019am,\u201d Ben said, looking puzzled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI didn\u2019t realize the news had gotten out so soon.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA . . . friend told me,\u201d Tess said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI understand that Timmy will be staying with you at the Ponderosa for awhile?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI told her that, Pa,\u201d Stacy said, noting the shocked, bewildered look on Ben\u2019s face.\u00a0 \u201cYou know Hoss!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, indeed,\u201d Ben nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cPlease tell Timmy I\u2019m real sorry to hear about his ma,\u201d Tess said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAnd if there\u2019s anything I can do for Timmy, or for you and your family, please don\u2019t hesitate to ask.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, Miss Tess,\u201d Ben said, addressing her as his daughter did.\u00a0\u00a0 Although the woman before him appeared to be around his own age, maybe a trifle younger, he just could not bring himself to call her simply Tess.\u00a0\u00a0 To do so would be tantamount to calling his mother or worse, his grandmother, by their first names.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAs for delivering your condolence message, you\u2019re more than welcome to come by the house and deliver it in person.\u00a0\u00a0 I think Timmy might appreciate a visit.\u201d<\/p>\n Tess smiled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll do that, Ben,\u201d she promised.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThis afternoon, after school\u2019s out.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re welcome to stay for supper, too if you\u2019d like, Miss Tess,\u201d Ben added.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you for your kind invitation,\u201d Tess replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d like that very much.\u201d<\/p>\n Stacy looked from her father, to Miss Tess, and then back to her father, wondering why that Bible verse about folks entertaining angels unaware kept flitting through her mind.<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n A sunbeam shining through a sliver of an opening in the curtains, covering the only window in Hoss Cartwright\u2019s bedroom, fell on Timmy O\u2019Toole\u2019s face.\u00a0\u00a0 Its warmth and\u00a0 brightness gently roused him from a light slumber.\u00a0\u00a0 He opened his eyes, and glanced around in bewilderment, not knowing where he was exactly.\u00a0\u00a0 He turned and saw his friend, Mister Hoss, snoring blissfully in the bed beside him.\u00a0\u00a0 Then, like the sudden rush of water from a bursting dam, he remembered.<\/p>\n \u201cMa!\u201d Timmy cried as he abruptly sat up.<\/p>\n \u201cTimmy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMister Hoss, can I see Ma?\u201d he begged.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPlease?\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss gently shook his head to rouse himself from sleep.\u00a0 He wished, more than he had wished for anything in his life, that he didn\u2019t have to be the one to tell Timmy.\u00a0\u00a0 But his pa had already taken Stacy on to school, and though Joe presumably still slept in his own room down the hall, Hoss had no way of knowing what state his younger brother would be in upon waking.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTimmy,\u201d he said quietly, \u201cyour ma\u2019s in heaven.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNO!\u201d Timmy yelled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNO!\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0Before Hoss could make a move to stop him, the boy jumped down from the bed and ran out into the corridor.\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss rose, and followed.\u00a0\u00a0 Timmy tore down the hall to the room where he had visited his mother last night.\u00a0\u00a0 He threw open the door and bolted inside.\u00a0\u00a0 There, he found the bed unmade, a bowl of water and a cloth on the night table, bloodied bandages and discarded cheesecloth poultices.\u00a0\u00a0 His mother was gone.<\/p>\n \u201cTimmy . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 It was Mister Hoss, kneeling down, his arms open.\u00a0\u00a0 He looked like he was about to cry himself.<\/p>\n With a strangled cry, Timmy threw himself into Hoss\u2019 open arms and buried his face against Hoss\u2019 massive shoulder, and cried.<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n \u201cMiss Tyler, I need to ask you some questions.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Roy Coffee sat with Sally Tyler in Sam\u2019s office, at the Silver Dollar Saloon.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSome of \u2018em may be upsetting.\u00a0\u00a0 I want to apologize for that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t care so much about that, Sheriff Coffee,\u201d Sally said grimly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI just hope you catch whoever done what he done to Lotus.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHas anyone been giving Miss O\u2019Toole any trouble lately?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBy trouble, do you mean botherin\u2019 her, makin\u2019 threats, stuff like that?\u201d<\/p>\n Roy nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cNo more \u2018n the usual kind o\u2019 stuff,\u201d Sally replied.<\/p>\n Roy frowned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat do you mean by the usual kind o\u2019 stuff?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n \u201cMen grabbin\u2019 an\u2019 touchin\u2019 . . . . \u201d Sally blushed, \u201cyou know . . . huggin\u2019 and kissin\u2019 us . . . tryin\u2019 to talk us into goin\u2019 upstairs . . . when WE don\u2019t want to.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She sighed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIn this business, all that kinda goes along with the territory.\u00a0\u00a0 All of us know that.\u00a0\u00a0 Lotus knew it, too.\u00a0\u00a0 Most o\u2019 the men are pretty liquored up when they do n\u2019 say all those things, so it ain\u2019t like they really mean it.\u00a0\u00a0 But once in a while a man comes in whut\u2019s scary.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHas . . . Miss O\u2019Toole been having trouble with one of the scary ones recently?\u201d Roy asked, feeling oddly contrite.<\/p>\n \u201cYes \u2018n no, Sheriff,\u201d Sally answered.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAbout six months ago, Judge Caine kept comin\u2019 \u2018round, tryin\u2019 t\u2019 take up with Lotus.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJudge William Caine?!\u201d Roy said, looking incredulous.\u00a0\u00a0 Though the man had a streak of ruthless ambition a mile wide running up his back and back down through his insides, he was not known for romantic liaisons or dalliances.\u00a0\u00a0 In fact, he eschewed such behavior.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Judge Caine!\u201d Sally declared heatedly.\u00a0 \u00a0\u201cHe always snuck up the alley an\u2019 in through the back door, but it was him, just the same.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Miss Tyler, I don\u2019t doubt you, I just find it . . . surprising, that\u2019s all,\u201d Roy said.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sure you do, Sheriff,\u201d Sally said in a cold, angry tone.<\/p>\n \u201cMiss Tyler, you got no reason to lie to me,\u201d Roy said in a gentle, yet firm tone.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIn fact, you got every reason, NOT to lie.\u00a0\u00a0 You wanna see the man who killed Miss O\u2019Toole caught as much as I do, if not more.\u00a0\u00a0 I know that.\u201d<\/p>\n Sally nodded, accepting his words.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLotus never told what the judge said,\u201d she continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe was private like that.\u00a0\u00a0 Y\u2019 know, she never told no one who her boy\u2019s pa is?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know . . . she didn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLike I said, Lotus was private like that,\u201d Sally continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut, she was afraid o\u2019 Judge Caine, Sheriff.\u00a0\u00a0 I could tell by the look in her eyes . . . it was the look of a trapped animal, knowin\u2019 it can\u2019t escape.\u00a0\u00a0 Anyways, after the judge made it known he was bein\u2019 considered t\u2019 be a FEDERAL judge, he quit comin\u2019 around.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDo you know whether or not he\u2019d been giving her trouble away from the Silver Dollar?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI s\u2019pose it\u2019s possible,\u201d Sally said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAnything\u2019s possible.\u00a0\u00a0 But Lotus never said anything about it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIs there anyone else that you know of who might\u2019ve wished Miss O\u2019Toole harm, or had threatened her?\u201d<\/p>\n Sally dolefully shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cNo one who might\u2019ve wished to harm Timmy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAbsolutely not!\u201d Sally declared emphatically.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSam an\u2019 the gals here dote on the li\u2019l fella . . . even Laurie Lee, an\u2019 Jenna Wilkes, before she got herself hitched.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She fell silent for a moment thinking.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t think anyone in here in town wouldda hurt \u2018im either.\u00a0\u00a0 True, there\u2019s a lotta folks that wouldn\u2019t let their kids play with Timmy, \u2018cause his ma ain\u2019t married \u2018n all . . . but for the life o\u2019 me, I can\u2019t picture anyone actually wantin\u2019 to hurt \u2018im.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, Miss Tyler,\u201d Roy said as they rose together, in unison.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf you happen to think o\u2019 somethin\u2019 else, no matter how small or even silly, please let me know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI will, Sheriff,\u201d Sally promised.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWould you mind doin\u2019 me a favor?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBe more \u2018n happy to oblige, Miss Tyler,\u201d Roy agreed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat can I do fer ya?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLotus left a few things with me to keep safe,\u201d Sally explained.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat shack she an\u2019 Timmy lived in on Blood Alley\u2019s not whut anybody\u2019d call secure.\u00a0\u00a0 It was real important for her to git Timmy livin\u2019 out from under the roof o\u2019 this saloon.\u00a0\u00a0 She was right \u2018bout that.\u00a0\u00a0 A saloon\u2019s no place for a kid t\u2019 be livin\u2019.\u00a0\u00a0 Anyways, she had a few things she felt safer leavin\u2019 with me instead o\u2019 keepin\u2019 in that shack.\u00a0\u00a0 If you can wait a minute, I\u2019ll run up t\u2019 my room \u2018n fetch \u2018em.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll be out in the saloon, Miss Tyler.\u201d<\/p>\n Sally returned a few moments later, carrying a small jewelry box of ivory, ornately carved in the flowing Oriental style.\u00a0\u00a0 She also had a small leather bound book, a statue of a Chinese woman carved from jade, and three cracked and fading photographs.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHere y\u2019 are, Sheriff.\u00a0\u00a0 These things oughtta to go to Timmy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, Miss Tyler, I\u2019ll see that he gets this,\u201d Roy promised.<\/p>\n \u201cWouldja mind doin\u2019 me another favor, Sheriff Coffee?\u201d Sally asked.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNext time you\u2019re out at the Ponderosa, wouldja tell Timmy his Aunt Sally was askin\u2019 \u2018bout \u2018im?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll do that,\u201d Roy promised.<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n \u201cHey, you!\u00a0\u00a0 Miss High-\u2018n-Mighty Cartwright!\u201d<\/p>\n It was Abel Caine, again.<\/p>\n \u201cStacy, ignore him!\u201d her friend, Molly hissed.<\/p>\n In the normal course of things, Stacy did just that.\u00a0\u00a0 Abel heckled and teased to get attention.\u00a0\u00a0 Her best offense and revenge was to just ignore him.\u00a0\u00a0 He usually went off to pick on someone else, or find someplace private to sulk.\u00a0\u00a0 However neither yesterday nor today fit into the normal course of things.<\/p>\n \u201cI heard your pa \u2018n brothers got that slut out at the Ponderosa,\u201d Abel continued, his lips twisted into an ugly sneer.<\/p>\n \u201cAbel, shut-up!\u201d Stacy rounded on him furiously.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll bet she\u2019s givin\u2019 your pa \u2018n brothers all kinds o\u2019 jollies.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAbel, I told you to shut your mouth!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone knows all about YOUR pa and ma, Miss High-\u2018n-Mighty,\u201d Abel heckled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHow much you wanna bet maybe yer pa\u2019s also li\u2019l Timmy\u2019s pa?\u201d<\/p>\n Stacy responded with a swift hard right cross.\u00a0\u00a0 The force of her blow sent her tormentor to the ground, flat on his back.\u00a0\u00a0 She, then, turned and started to walk away.<\/p>\n Abel scrambled awkwardly to his feet, and with surprising swiftness, tackled Stacy bringing her down to the ground so hard, she could feel the breath leaving her body.\u00a0\u00a0 Taking full advantage of her momentary insensibility, Abel scrambled to his feet and kicked her in the side as hard as he could.<\/p>\n Stacy could almost hear her ribs crack.\u00a0\u00a0 The pain, however, acted as a bucket of ice water in her face, bringing her back to full consciousness.\u00a0\u00a0 She saw him swing back his leg to kick her again, and managed to dodge the intended blow.\u00a0\u00a0 In less time than it takes for eyes to blink, Stacy kicked Abel\u2019s knee while he was off balance, once more bringing him to the ground.\u00a0\u00a0 His entire body twisted as he fell, causing him to land on his stomach.\u00a0 A sudden burst of adrenalin erased the agonizing pain in her torso.\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy leapt on her opponent, grabbing his arm and twisting it behind his back as far and as hard as she possibly could.<\/p>\n \u201cTake it back, you cheap bag of sheep dip!\u201d Stacy said through clenched teeth.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou take every last word back, do you hear me?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNO!\u201d Abel screamed.<\/p>\n \u201cTake it back, or I swear, I\u2019ll break your arm right here . . . right now!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She twisted it even further to prove she meant business.<\/p>\n \u201cOk, ok!\u201d Abel half sobbed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI take it all back.\u00a0\u00a0 Everything I said about Timmy, his ma, your ma and pa, and your brothers.\u201d<\/p>\n Satisfied, Stacy let of his arm and rose.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cFor your information, Abel Caine, Miss O\u2019Toole DIED last night,\u201d she said, her entire body trembling with pent up fury.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf I EVER hear you speak ill of the dead again, so help me, as God is my witness, the next time, I WILL twist your arm off.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cStacy Cartwright, Abel Caine, I want both of you to come into the school house with me right now!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 It was Miss Tess, standing at the edge of the circle, made of classmates gathered to watch the fight.\u00a0\u00a0 Her straight posture, with hands firmly on hips lent her an intimidating, imposing air.\u00a0\u00a0 The other children meekly scattered after getting a look at the stern, angry glare on her face.<\/p>\n Miss Tess abruptly turned heel and walked resolutely toward the school house, with Stacy and Abel following behind like a pair of whipped puppy dogs.<\/p>\n \u201cShe started it, Miss Tess,\u201d Abel declared the minute the trio had crossed the threshold into the school house.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe hit me first.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf I had it to do over, I\u2019d do it again, too,\u201d Stacy spat, glaring at Abel with utter contempt.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t need either one of you telling me what happened, I saw and heard everything,\u201d Tess said sternly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAbel, on my desk you will find a piece of soap and a washcloth.\u00a0\u00a0 You will march up there right now, take the soap and wash cloth, then go out to the water pump and wash out that filthy mouth.\u201d<\/p>\n Abel and Stacy both looked over at their teacher in stupefied disbelief.<\/p>\n \u201cI said NOW, Abel.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cY-yes, Ma\u2019am,\u201d Abel ran to the teacher\u2019s desk and grabbed the soap and wash cloth.<\/p>\n Tess waited until Abel had gone out to the water pump.\u00a0\u00a0 The snickers and titters of the other children told her that the boy was following her instructions to the letter.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAs for you, Stacy, why didn\u2019t you tell me about the way he\u2019s been hassling you today and yesterday?\u201d<\/p>\n The adrenalin dissipated, leaving Stacy in agony and short of breath.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not a tattle tale, Ma\u2019am,\u201d she replied breathlessly.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re to be commended for that, Baby,\u201d Tess said gently.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAt the same time, you\u2019ve got to realize there IS a time and place to tell someone else what\u2019s going on.\u00a0 The things Abel Caine said yesterday and today about the O\u2019Tooles and your family go \u2018way beyond the usual insults and taunts in the school yard.\u00a0\u00a0 There was something vicious and mean about it.\u00a0\u00a0 You know as well as I do there was a whole different feel to Abel\u2019s heckling yesterday and today.\u201d<\/p>\n Stacy nodded.\u00a0 \u00a0\u201cThat\u2019s why I hit him,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s the kind of thing that needs to be brought to my attention,\u201d Tess said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThere\u2019s something going on with him that needs to be nipped in the bud.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019m really good at nippin\u2019 things in the bud, but sometimes I need to be told what\u2019s happening, like everybody else.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She paused.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOnly God is omniscient, Baby.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI-I\u2019ll try to remember that, Miss Tess.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNow you\u2019d better get your books together, Stacy,\u201d Tess said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYour pa\u2019s going to be here any minute.\u201d<\/p>\n Stacy looked over at her teacher in complete bewilderment.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHow can that be?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n \u201cI got word to a friend of mine, before I stepped in to break up that fight,\u201d Tess replied.<\/p>\n At that moment, the door opened.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben entered, his face a mixture of concern and anger.\u00a0\u00a0 Jonathan followed close behind.<\/p>\n \u201cBen, Stacy\u2019s going to be fine,\u201d Tess cut right to the heart of the matter, answering Ben\u2019s questions before he had a chance to voice them.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s got a couple of fractured ribs, but I daresay, she inflicted a lot more\u00a0 injury, physical and emotional, on her opponent than he did on her.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re going right over to Doctor Martins office,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThank you for getting word to me so quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re quite welcome,\u201d Tess replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAs for you, Stacy, your homework assignment for tonight is you\u2019re going to tell your pa everything, and I do mean everything.\u00a0\u00a0 Do I make myself clear?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Ma\u2019am,\u201d Stacy said meekly.<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n Chapter 4<\/p>\n Jonathan sat on the love seat sized settee in the Martins\u2019 formal parlor, that doubled as a waiting room, with arms folded across his chest and thoughts far away running a mile a minute.<\/p>\n Mister Cartwright and daughter, Stacy, were still with the doctor in his examining room, and probably would be for awhile longer.\u00a0\u00a0 Tess had been right about the fractured ribs.\u00a0\u00a0 Jonathan saw that for himself as Stacy winced almost every time she inhaled, and in her rigidly erect posture, even while sitting.\u00a0\u00a0 Nothing much the doctor could do really, except bind her torso and order her to take it easy.<\/p>\n \u201cHey, Boss,\u201d<\/em> Jonathan prayed silently, a bare hint of a smile tweaking the left corner of his mouth, \u201cYou know how much energy this kid has, and how little patience.\u00a0\u00a0 I hope You find it in Yourself to be merciful to her poor pa and brothers, and maybe . . . well, you know, move her healing along a little?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Jonathan thought he heard the gentle sound of an indulgent chuckle echo through his mind and heart.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks, Boss, much obliged,\u201d he responded.<\/p>\n His thoughts drifted to Stacy\u2019s opponent in the school yard fracas.\u00a0\u00a0 According to the reports filed by Tess, since taking on the job of Virginia City\u2019s school marm, Abel Caine tried to tease a rise out of Stacy Cartwright on a daily basis.\u00a0\u00a0 Most of the taunts centered around what many might consider her tomboyish ways, and the place of respect that the Cartwright Family, especially Ben, had earned over the years among the people of Virginia City.\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy very pointedly ignored Abel, having correctly discerned early on, that the boy\u2019s whole purpose behind the taunts was to get her attention.<\/p>\n Tess\u2019 take on the matter could be surmised in one word:\u00a0\u00a0 jealousy.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile you\u2019re with the Cartwrights, you watch \u2018em real close, Angel Boy,\u201d Tess exhorted him just prior to his meeting with the family clan\u2019s patriarch at the Silver Dollar Saloon.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cA family like that comes along once in a proverbial blue moon.\u00a0\u00a0 The warmth . . . the love . . . the trust and respect the members of that family have for each other just shines forth like a lighthouse beacon on a dark, stormy night.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cWhat do I look for?\u201d Jonathan had asked.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cAngel Boy, I\u2019d expect a question like that from a plebe in his or her first hundred years of training,\u201d Tess admonished him severely, \u201cnot from a student with less than a hundred and fifty years to go on his formal training.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She paused briefly, though her glare didn\u2019t waiver in its severity.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cEspecially not from any prot\u00e9g\u00e9e of MINE with less than a hundred and fifty years to go on his training.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cY-yes, Ma\u2019am,\u201d Jonathan squeaked, feeling every bit the first hundred years plebe.<\/em><\/p>\n Tess sighed and shook her head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou can see it in the way Joe and Stacy joke around and tease each other,\u201d she said, \u201cthe kind and gentle way Hoss has of caring for his pa, his brother, and sister, when they\u2019re sick or injured; in the way Ben hurts when his children hurt, and in the love and pride you see in his eyes and smile when he speaks of their accomplishments.\u00a0\u00a0 I could go on and on, Jonathan, but it would take me the next one maybe two hundred years to cover everything.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n In the short time he had been with the Cartwrights, a scant day and a half now, Jonathan had begun to understand.\u00a0\u00a0 He could also see with crystal clarity that Abel Caine had no such love and support from his family.\u00a0\u00a0 Neither he nor Tess as yet had occasion to meet Judge William Caine, or his older son, William Junior.\u00a0\u00a0 Even so, Jonathan had all too much experience to draw on when it came to reaching his conclusions about Abel.\u00a0\u00a0 With his musings about Abel Caine came the nebulous, niggling feeling that somewhere, somehow, the judge and his family would have a part to play in this assignment.<\/p>\n The sound of someone knocking on the front door roused Jonathan from his musings.\u00a0\u00a0 He saw Doctor Martin\u2019s wife, Lily, go to the door.\u00a0\u00a0 The visitor was Sheriff Coffee, with a small bag in his hands.\u00a0\u00a0 Lily listened as Roy spoke, then gestured for him to come in.<\/p>\n \u201cJonathan, I heard Ben was here,\u201d Roy said, looking anxious.<\/p>\n \u201cHe and Stacy are in there,\u201d Jonathan inclined his head toward the closed door to the examination room.<\/p>\n \u201cI heard about that school yard brawl between Stacy and the Caine boy,\u201d the sheriff said with a dark, angry scowl.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t know what that boy\u2019s problem is, but NEXT time he\u2019s involved in something like this, so help me, I\u2019m throwing his sorry backside in a jail cell.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAm I right in assuming this isn\u2019t the first time Abel Caine\u2019s been involved in something like this?\u201d<\/p>\n Roy Coffee let out a short, curt, exasperated sigh.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s all started this past year, since its been made known his pa bein\u2019 considered for federal judge,\u201d he said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMind you, the boy\u2019s ALWAYS been somethin\u2019 of a bully!\u00a0\u00a0 But now . . . . \u201d the sheriff sighed again and shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c The Caine boy\u2019s bullyin\u2019 \u2018s grown meaner, more vicious.\u00a0\u00a0 An\u2019 this business of beatin\u2019 up on a girl . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n The door to the examination room opened.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben stepped out into the waiting room alone.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHi, Roy,\u201d he greeted the sheriff with a wan smile, \u201cyou\u2019re not here about that fracas between Stacy and the Caine boy, are you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, but if you want to press charges, Ben . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n Ben shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLet it ride for now, Roy,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cHow IS Stacy?\u201d Roy asked.<\/p>\n \u201cPaul said she has a couple of fractured ribs,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s fixing her up now.\u00a0\u00a0 She\u2019s supposed to take it easy for a week or so . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ll be lucky if you can get her to take it easy for the next DAY or so,\u201d Roy said in a wry tone.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201c \u2018Course you, Hoss, Li\u2019l Joe, and Adam, for that matter, are no better!\u201d<\/p>\n Ben laughed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThanks a lot, Roy!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnyway, my real reason for comin\u2019 here was to give you this,\u201d Roy placed the bag he had been holding into Ben\u2019s hands.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMiss Tyler at the Silver Dollar\u2019d been holdin\u2019 on to these things for Miss O\u2019Toole for safe keepin\u2019.\u00a0\u00a0 She asked me to make sure they git to Timmy.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben opened the cloth bag and peered inside.\u00a0\u00a0 The ivory jewelry box and the jade statue appeared to him to be quite old. \u00a0\u00a0The photographs were of Lotus O\u2019Toole just prior to the deaths of her family members, her grandmother, and her parents.\u00a0 \u201cThese are probably the only things that survived that fire,\u201d Ben said softly.\u00a0\u00a0 He closed the bag, and looked up, meeting Roy Coffee\u2019s eyes.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThank you, Roy.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ll see that Timmy gets these.\u201d<\/p>\n Stacy emerged from the examination room, walking stiffly erect.\u00a0\u00a0 Doctor Martin followed behind her.<\/p>\n \u201cYou remember what I told you, Stacy.\u00a0\u00a0 One WEEK!\u00a0\u00a0 Not one day, one hour, or one minute,\u201d doctor admonished patient very sternly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOne WEEK!\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 You got that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDoctor Martin, this time you won\u2019t get any argument from me,\u201d Stacy said softly.<\/p>\n \u201cRight now, you hurt like the dickens!\u201d Paul said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou just remember that one week when you start feeling better.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll see to it,\u201d Ben promised.<\/p>\n The doctor gave Ben a bottle with seven tablets.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s for the pain,\u201d he explained.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSee that Stacy takes one pill about an hour before bed time.\u00a0\u00a0 That should ease the pain enough to let her sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben nodded, and pocketed the bottle.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThank you, Paul,\u201d he said, shaking the doctor\u2019s hand.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDo I need to bring Stacy in for further check ups?\u201d<\/p>\n Paul shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNot unless problems develop, Ben,\u201d he said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cStacy\u2019s a fine healthy girl, with the constitution of an ox.\u00a0\u00a0 I don\u2019t foresee any complications at all.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThanks again, Paul.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Ben turned his attention to Jonathan.\u00a0 \u201cWould you mind riding Blaze Face back?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot at all,\u201d Jonathan replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll see to it he\u2019s unsaddled and given a good rub down, too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cStacy and I will go back in the buggy.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Ben paused long enough to direct a meaningful glare in his daughter\u2019s general direction.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou and I have a long conversation ahead of us, Young Woman.\u201d<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n The four o\u2019clock stage passed the Cartwright buggy en route to the Virginia City depot.\u00a0\u00a0 There was only one passenger.\u00a0\u00a0 A young man with reddish blonde hair and hazel eyes, capable of taking on many colors.\u00a0\u00a0 Today they shone deep green, the green of tree leaves at the height of summer, mirroring the tailor made green three piece suit he wore.<\/p>\n The past year and a half had been very busy.\u00a0\u00a0 He had graduated from Harvard, his father\u2019s alma mater and grandfather\u2019s before that, with a law degree.\u00a0\u00a0 He managed to secure a position with a prestigious law firm in Boston a couple of months after graduation.\u00a0\u00a0 Both partners in the firm were young themselves, aged in their mid-thirties, and eager to teach a green kid the tricks of the trade, as it were.<\/p>\n For the better part of the last year, the young man had scrimped and saved for a down payment on a house and money to purchase a round trip ticket to Virginia City for himself, and a one way ticket for the woman he loved.\u00a0\u00a0 He had planned to stay two nights, maybe three at the outside.\u00a0\u00a0 Just long enough for the love of his life to pack her things and make ready to go back with him to Boston.\u00a0\u00a0 They would be married, of course.\u00a0\u00a0 He would prefer that they do so in Boston.\u00a0\u00a0 That would greatly lessen the chances of his father throwing a wrench into his plans.\u00a0\u00a0 But, if SHE wished for the wedding to take place in Virginia City, he would accommodate her.<\/p>\n He climbed out of the stage coach and fetched his luggage, a single carpet bag, from the top.\u00a0\u00a0 Though his father and younger brother lived in Virginia City, not far from the stage depot, he had no plans to visit them.\u00a0\u00a0 A pang of conscience stabbed his heart at the thought of not taking time to visit his brother.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMaybe, after my wife and I get ourselves settled in Boston, we can send for him, invite him for a visit,\u201d the young man tried to salve the sting of conscience.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLord above knows, the kid could probably use time away from Father, too.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Unfortunately, he could not spare the time or run the risk of meeting their father.\u00a0\u00a0 He had to find the woman he loved, and with her head out of town as quickly as possible.\u00a0\u00a0 He turned, and with suitcase in hand, walked resolutely in the direction of the International Hotel.<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n \u201cPa, I\u2019d, ummm . . . rather not repeat word for word what Abel said,\u201d Stacy said.<\/p>\n \u201cThat bad?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n \u201cBad enough that Miss Tess made him wash his mouth out with soap,\u201d Stacy replied.\u00a0\u00a0 Picturing the occurrence made her want to laugh.<\/p>\n Ben smiled, in spite of everything.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNow I KNOW I\u2019m going to like Miss Tess,\u201d he said chuckling.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, Pa, please don\u2019t!\u201d Stacy begged.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt hurts when I laugh, and you\u2019re going to have me laughing, if you keep that up.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSorry,\u201d Ben apologized, empathizing with her completely.\u00a0\u00a0 He had been in her place many times in the past, most of those times when he was as young and as reckless as she could be now.\u00a0\u00a0 He sobered.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAlright, you don\u2019t have to quote Abel verbatim.\u00a0\u00a0 Just give me the gist of what he said.\u201d<\/p>\n Stacy swallowed, and winced as the buggy went over a slight rise in the road.\u00a0\u00a0 Even a gist of what Abel had said could be just as bad.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell . . . Abel kept referring to Miss O\u2019Toole as a . . . a . . . as a woman who, uh . . . gives of herself freely,\u201d she said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cUsing the crude terms!\u201d<\/p>\n Ben frowned.\u00a0\u00a0 He had a very good idea as to what the verbatim content of Abel\u2019s taunts might be.<\/p>\n \u201cThen . . . then he accused you, Hoss, and Joe of . . . well, you know!\u00a0\u00a0 I HOPE you know . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI have a very good idea,\u201d Ben said through clenched teeth.<\/p>\n \u201cHe also made cracks about you and Miss Paris,\u201d Stacy continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThis morning, knowing that Miss O\u2019Toole had died, I just couldn\u2019t stand it anymore, so I hit him.\u00a0\u00a0 My mistake was turning my back on him and walking away.\u00a0\u00a0 That\u2019s when he tackled me.\u201d<\/p>\n It took every ounce of will Ben possessed to continue on in the direction of home, rather than turn back to go in search of Abel Caine and thrash the boy within an inch of his life.<\/p>\n \u201cHe got in one good punch . . . kick, actually,\u201d Stacy continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe was getting ready to kick me again, but I saw that one coming.\u00a0\u00a0 I was able to knock him down, and twist his arm, literally.\u00a0\u00a0 I made him take back everything he said, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOn the one hand, I\u2019m glad that Miss O\u2019Toole, may God rest her soul, Timmy, your brothers, and . . . and your mother and I . . . have a fighting Irish knight errant to come to our defense,\u201d Ben said, not without a touch of pride.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut, Miss Tess was right.\u00a0\u00a0 You should have told HER what Abel was saying, AND you should have told me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI . . . know that now, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n Tess hired a buggy and horse from the Livery Stable in town and rode out to the Ponderosa to visit with Timmy and the Cartwrights, as she had promised Ben much earlier that day.\u00a0\u00a0 It was Joe, his cheeks still red and eyes swollen, who answered the door.<\/p>\n \u201cGood afternoon,\u201d Tess said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m Miss Tess, the school teacher.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe managed a small, sad smile, in spite of himself.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCome on in,\u201d he invited.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMy sister\u2019s told us all a lot about you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAll good, I hope,\u201d Tess said as she entered the house.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s all very good,\u201d Joe hastened to assure her.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIn fact, I don\u2019t think I can recall a time Stacy\u2019s actually looked forward to doing her homework . . . before YOU came.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you,\u201d Tess graciously accepted the compliment.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHow is Stacy doing?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s upstairs in her bedroom fast asleep,\u201d Joe said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPlease, come on in the living room and sit down.\u00a0\u00a0 I seem to be forgetting my manners.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUnder the circumstances, it\u2019s quite all right,\u201d Tess said earnestly.\u00a0\u00a0 She followed Joe into the living room, and sat down on the settee.<\/p>\n \u201cCan I get you anything?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI came to see Timmy,\u201d Tess said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYour pa said he . . . Timmy, that is . . . would appreciate me doing that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s up in Hoss\u2019 room,\u201d Joe said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe and my big brother are bunking together.\u00a0\u00a0 Timmy\u2019s words.\u00a0\u00a0 Pa brought home a few things that belonged to . . . to his ma.\u00a0\u00a0 He\u2019s upstairs lookin\u2019 the stuff over.\u00a0\u00a0 I can take you up, if you\u2019d like.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you,\u201d Tess said rising.<\/p>\n Tess and Joe climbed the steps to the second floor, in silence.\u00a0\u00a0 Joe led the way to the closed door to Hoss\u2019 bedroom and knocked.<\/p>\n \u201cWho is it?\u201d a young voice half sobbed in response.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s Joe, Timmy.\u00a0\u00a0 You have a visitor.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI do?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, you do.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 May we come in?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI . . . I s\u2019pose . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n Joe looked over at Tess, and nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 Tess opened the door and walked in.\u00a0\u00a0 Joe stood out in the hall, watching.\u00a0\u00a0 For a long time, Timmy stared up at his school teacher, gaping.<\/p>\n \u201cHello, Timmy,\u201d Tess said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m really sorry to hear about your ma.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTh-thank you, Miss Tess,\u201d the boy sniffled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister Hoss told me that she\u2019s in heaven.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMister Hoss is right,\u201d Tess said, seating herself on the edge of the bed.<\/p>\n \u201cBut . . . . \u201d he looked very troubled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAbel Caine said Ma was going to go to hell, b-because . . . because she didn\u2019t go to church.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m going to have a few stern words with Abel Caine tomorrow morning,\u201d Tess said grimly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTimmy, I want you to look at me and listen.\u201d<\/p>\n Timmy nodded solemnly and looked up, meeting her eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cYour ma did the very best she could with what life dealt her,\u201d Tess explained.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe was a very kind, very generous, and very loving woman, who loved YOU very, very much.\u00a0\u00a0 I know for a fact that the Father has a very special place not only in Heaven, Baby, but in His heart, too, for people like your ma.\u201d<\/p>\n Timmy burst into tears and threw his arms around her neck.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTh-thank y-you, Miss Tess,\u201d he sobbed.<\/p>\n \u201cI want you to remember that, no matter what anyone else might say,\u201d Tess said, as she slipped her arms around Timmy.<\/p>\n \u201cI will, I promise,\u201d Timmy said earnest.\u00a0\u00a0 He sighed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSorry, I\u2019m crying so much.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ve heard people say you should be happy when someone goes to Heaven, but I can\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou can be happy your ma\u2019s in Heaven, AND feel sad because she\u2019s not here with you,\u201d Tess said gently.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s perfectly alright, Timmy.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s also ok to cry.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWill thinking of Ma always make me cry?\u201d Timmy asked.<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d Joe said entering the room.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTimmy, my ma died when I was about your age.\u00a0 I cried a lot, too, at first.\u00a0\u00a0 You can ask Pa, if you don\u2019t believe me.\u00a0\u00a0 It took me a long time, but I came to a place where I could think about her and talk about her without crying.\u00a0\u00a0 Someday, you\u2019ll be able to think of your ma, too, without crying.\u00a0\u00a0 But, it takes time.\u00a0\u00a0 You gotta give yourself that time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSounds like good words of wisdom to me, Timmy,\u201d Tess said approvingly.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, Miss Tess . . . and you, too, Mister Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe\u2019s eyes fell on the small leather bound book.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat your ma\u2019s diary?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Timmy replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s got writing in there, but I can\u2019t make out any of the words.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMay I see?\u201d Joe asked.<\/p>\n \u201cSure,\u201d Timmy picked up the book and handed it to Joe.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks, Timmy,\u201d Joe said as he opened the book.\u00a0\u00a0 His eyes shone with the gleam of fresh, unshed tears, yet he was also smiling.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell, I\u2019ll be a monkey\u2019s uncle.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s written in Caltopian.\u201d<\/p>\n Timmy looked up at Joe, his eyes round with astonishment.\u00a0\u00a0 The look on his face definitely questioned Joe\u2019s mental state.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019s . . . Caltopian?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n \u201cAn imaginary language your ma and I made up when we were kids,\u201d Joe replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt became our secret code.\u00a0\u00a0 We used to send each other messages written in Caltopian all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMister, Joe, can you translate it?\u201d Timmy asked.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d like more than anything to know what she\u2019s written here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll try, Timmy,\u201d Joe promised.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut, I have to warn you, my Caltopian is very, very, VERY rusty.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMiss Tess?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Timmy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not going to be coming back to school for awhile,\u201d Timmy said in a small, quiet voice.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut, I\u2019d like to keep up with my homework.\u00a0\u00a0 Can you bring me my assignments?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d be more than happy, too, Timmy,\u201d Tess replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cEspecially since I\u2019ll be bringing Stacy\u2019s assignments by, too, for a while.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She looked down at Timmy and smiled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI wish more of my students were as diligent as you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat does diligent mean, Miss Tess?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt means you work and study hard,\u201d Tess replied, \u201cand you keep at it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMa\u2014 \u201d he broke off, unable to speak.<\/p>\n Tess and Joe waited for the boy to continue.<\/p>\n \u201cMa always t-t-told me . . . m-my schooling\u2019s . . . important,\u201d Timmy said haltingly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI know . . . she\u2019d w-want me to . . . to keep up with m-my h-homework.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll not only bring your assignments, but I\u2019ll sit down with you and go over the lessons, too, if you\u2019d like, AND if it\u2019s alright with Mister Cartwright,\u201d Tess said.<\/p>\n \u201cI think I can safely say that Pa will approve,\u201d Joe said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf you both will excuse me, I\u2019ll start to work on translating the Caltopian.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThanks again, Mister Joe,\u201d Timmy said.<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n Chapter 5<\/p>\n Judge William Caine Senior occupied one of the tables at the back of the public room at the Silver Dollar Saloon.\u00a0\u00a0 He sat, with his back to the wall, half hidden in shadows, his eyes riveted to the door, waiting.\u00a0\u00a0 Mark Crawford, his right hand man, had told him a couple hours ago that he had spotted William Junior getting off the stage earlier that afternoon, and that he\u2019d taken a room at the International Hotel.\u00a0\u00a0 His oldest son\u2019s homecoming couldn\u2019t possibly have been more ill-timed.\u00a0\u00a0 The disappearance and subsequent death of the jezebel his son had once been so enamored with, and the state governor\u2019s scheduled visit within the next few days to talk over the possibility of a recommendation on the judge\u2019s behalf to that federal position all happening so close together, were almost more than enough to handle.<\/p>\n The fact that Timmy, the jezebel\u2019s little boy, was staying with the Cartwrights at the Ponderosa threatened to make an already horrendous situation even worse, given that Ben Cartwright and the governor were practically in each other\u2019s pockets.\u00a0\u00a0 Even so, he had been counting on Ben Cartwright\u2019s good will and hopefully, his endorsement.\u00a0 Both would have almost certainly clinched his appointment to the federal bench.\u00a0\u00a0 Unfortunately, his younger son had seriously jeopardized Ben\u2019s endorsement by initiating that idiotic school yard brawl with Stacy.\u00a0\u00a0 As if that wasn\u2019t bad enough, the foolish boy had to go and kick her while she was down, breaking a couple of ribs.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAnd that Cartwright girl STILL got the best of him!\u201d the judge mused angrily.<\/p>\n He had of course, dealt with Abel quite severely regarding the matter.\u00a0\u00a0 The boy would think very long and very hard before initiating another brawl with Stacy Cartwright, or anyone else for that matter.\u00a0 \u00a0He was most confident on that score. Unfortunately, his disciplining Abel changed nothing.\u00a0\u00a0 He could still kiss Ben Cartwright\u2019s endorsement goodbye.<\/p>\n Now, just when the judge thought things couldn\u2019t possibly get any worse, he received word of his oldest boy\u2019s arrival in Virginia City.\u00a0\u00a0 Billy Junior had not informed him of his intended visit, leaving him to conclude only one thing.\u00a0\u00a0 The stupid boy had come to fetch the jezebel.\u00a0\u00a0 To do that, he would sooner or later, have to come to the Silver Dollar.\u00a0\u00a0 When he did, he would find his father waiting.<\/p>\n At a quarter past the hour of seven, William Caine, Junior, the sole occupant of the stage coach earlier that afternoon walked into the Silver Dollar Saloon, and walked over to the bar.\u00a0\u00a0 It was Friday night, and the saloon was doing its usual brisk business.\u00a0\u00a0 Sam, the bartender, was busy serving customers at the other end of the bar, from where the younger William Caine had taken his place.\u00a0\u00a0 The judge rose slowly, and walked over to his son with the feral grin on his face, looking very much like a cougar or a wolf about to close in on its unsuspecting prey.<\/p>\n \u201cGood evening, Son.\u00a0\u00a0 What a nice surprise,\u201d the judge greeted his eldest, his voice dripping with venomous sarcasm.<\/p>\n The younger William Caine started violently, and turned.\u00a0\u00a0 His hazel eyes were as round as saucers, and his complexion several shades paler than normal.<\/p>\n The judge was immeasurably pleased by his son\u2019s reaction.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ll do well to remember that nothing happens in this town, that I don\u2019t know about,\u201d he said in a deceptively calm tone.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIncluding you making a surprise visit.\u00a0\u00a0 As for your little girl friend,\u201d he spat the words girl friend, \u201cwell, you\u2019re a day late and a dollar short, as the old saying goes.\u201d<\/p>\n A growing sense of dread began to coalesce deep in the pit of his stomach, forming a hard, ice cold lump.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cFather, I\u2019ve come to take Lotus O\u2019Toole back east with me,\u201d William Junior quickly recovered his composure.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve found a position in Boston that pays well, certainly well enough to support a wife and family.\u00a0\u00a0 Neither Lotus nor I will in any way interfere with your plans.\u00a0\u00a0 All I ask is that we be allowed to live our lives quietly.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUnfortunately, as I said, you\u2019re a day late and a dollar short,\u201d the judge said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLotus O\u2019Toole died last night.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re lying!\u201d the younger man spat furiously, glaring at his father with a scowl that could almost kill.<\/p>\n \u201cSam!\u201d the judge called to the bar tender.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOver here!\u201d<\/p>\n Sam bristled, but moved down toward Judge Caine and his son.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat can I getcha, Judge?\u201d he asked in a cool, yet polite tone.<\/p>\n \u201cIt seems my son and I are having trouble communicating tonight,\u201d the judge said in a bland tone.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWould you mind telling him about Miss O\u2019Toole?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWere you a friend, Son?\u201d Sam asked.<\/p>\n \u201cYes,\u201d William Junior replied, taking great care to keep his voice bland.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe and I went to school together.\u201d<\/p>\n Sam shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe died last night,\u201d he said dolefully.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe was found . . . lying in that meadow out along the south road that takes you to the Ponderosa, beaten . . . left for dead.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben and Joe Cartwright, and one of their hired men found her.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDear God!\u201d William Junior barely managed to stammer.\u00a0\u00a0 The room suddenly began to swim sickeningly before his eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t know what\u2019s going to happen to her little boy,\u201d Sam added.<\/p>\n William Junior looked up, his eyes round with shock and astonishment.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cL-Lotus . . . M-Miss O\u2019Toole . . . has a . . . a s-son?!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah!\u00a0\u00a0 Real cute little guy, and bright as a new penny,\u201d Sam replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJust started first grade this year.\u00a0\u00a0 He\u2019s staying with the Cartwrights out at the Ponderosa, for now anyways.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNow you know the kind of woman she was, Son,\u201d the judge said, taking his son by the forearm.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cA little boy . . . obviously born out of wedlock, and no one knows who the sire was either.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 This last he added with nasty relish.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cProbably some drifter passing through, looking for a one night stand.\u00a0\u00a0 Now, it seems her involvements with the men who frequent this establishment have resulted in her ignoble death.\u201d<\/p>\n William Junior pulled his arm free of his father\u2019s grasp with an angry wrench, the force of which shocked and stunned the judge.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI will NOT hear an ill word against Miss O\u2019Toole, not from you or anyone else,\u201d he spat.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cFurthermore, I will not leave Virginia City until I see the man . . . or the men who killed her . . . caught and hanged.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 With that, he turned heel and walked out of the Silver Dollar.<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n \u201cWow!\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy, did you really beat up Abel Caine?\u201d Timmy asked, awestruck.<\/p>\n \u201cWell . . . yeah,\u201d Stacy replied with a touch of reluctance.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cUnfortunately, he got in a lucky punch that\u2019s going to sort of keep me out of some things for awhile.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo sort of about it,\u201d Ben said firmly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDoctor Martin said one week.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI heard your teacher made Abel wash his mouth out with soap at the pump, after the fight,\u201d Joe said with a smile.<\/p>\n \u201cDid you really, Miss Tess?\u201d the boy looked up at his teacher in wonder.<\/p>\n Miss Tess glared at the youngest Cartwright son, then turned her attention to Timmy.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYes, I did, Timmy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWow!\u00a0\u00a0 What did he say?\u201d Timmy asked in a soft, reverential voice.<\/p>\n \u201cIf I told you what he said, I\u2019d have to go wash my own mouth out with soap,\u201d Tess answered primly, \u201cand I, for one, happen to be of the opinion that soap tastes very, very nasty.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She made a face.<\/p>\n Timmy laughed out loud for the first time since the night his mother didn\u2019t come home.\u00a0\u00a0 The Cartwright men easily joined in the laughter.\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy laughed, too, abandoning all attempts to refrain.\u00a0\u00a0 Tonight, it seemed that trying not to laugh hurt far worse than giving in to the impulse.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI wish I could\u2019ve seen Abel Caine washing his mouth out with soap,\u201d he said, as his mirth faded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat was it like, Stacy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t see it either, Timmy,\u201d Stacy replied, grimacing every third word.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI was in the middle of a heart to heart talk with Miss Tess at the time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhich reminds me, Stacy, did you complete your homework assignment?\u201d Tess asked.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Ma\u2019am, I did,\u201d Stacy replied, with a meaningful glance at her father.<\/p>\n \u201cI can certainly vouch for that,\u201d Ben said quietly.<\/p>\n Conversation at the supper table was lighter and livelier, in stark contrast to the night before, with Timmy O\u2019Toole dominating.\u00a0\u00a0 He was so full of questions.\u00a0\u00a0 He wanted to know about all the horses he had met in the corral over the past couple of days.\u00a0\u00a0 He also asked about the school lessons he had missed, and about things going on at school, prompting the discussion of the fight between Stacy and Abel.<\/p>\n Hoss was particularly heartened and gratified to hear the boy laughing.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMiss Tess, you\u2019re going to have to join us every night for supper,\u201d he said, as the meal concluded.\u00a0\u00a0 He gallantly held Tess\u2019 chair as she rose from the table.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLooks like your visit\u2019s done Timmy a world of good.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, Hoss,\u201d Tess said quietly, as they and the others made their way into the living room.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat reminds me . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She turned her attention to Ben as she seated herself on the sofa.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBen, while Timmy and I were visiting earlier, he asked if I might stop by with his homework assignments.\u00a0\u00a0 I can do that, and bring Stacy\u2019s as well, of course . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cToo bad, Little Sister,\u201d Joe teased with a smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo matter how banged up you get, you still have to do your school work.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo help me, Grandpa, if you make me laugh again . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMiss Tess, please continue,\u201d Ben said pointedly, though in all honesty he felt a measure of relief in hearing his two younger children bantering back and forth once again.<\/p>\n \u201cTimmy asked if we might also go over his lessons,\u201d Tess continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m certainly willing, if it\u2019s alright with you.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben smiled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s perfectly alright with me, Miss Tess,\u201d he said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPlease feel free to come whenever and as often as you like.\u00a0\u00a0 There\u2019s always room for you at our table as well.\u201d<\/p>\n Tess smiled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThank you very much, Ben,\u201d she said gratefully.<\/p>\n \u201cMister Joe, were you able to translate any of the Caltopian?\u201d Timmy asked.<\/p>\n \u201cAs a matter of fact, yes,\u201d Joe replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt was hard, at first, then suddenly, the words started coming.\u00a0\u00a0 It was kind of a strange experience.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCaltopian?\u201d Ben\u00a0 inquired, raising an eyebrow in surprise.<\/p>\n \u201cA secret language Timmy\u2019s ma and I made up when we were kids,\u201d Joe explained.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLotus\u2019 diary was among the things Roy Coffee gave you this afternoon, Pa.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s written in Caltopian.\u00a0\u00a0 Timmy asked me to translate.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat did you translate, Mister Joe?\u201d Timmy asked eagerly.<\/p>\n \u201cAn entry dated September 4, this year,\u201d Joe replied.\u00a0\u00a0 He reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out three pages of paper, all folded together.\u00a0 \u201c \u2018Today was Timmy\u2019s first day at school.\u00a0\u00a0 He was a little afraid at first, until he met his teacher, Miss Tess.\u00a0\u00a0 Such a warm, kind woman, she won Timmy over immediately.\u00a0\u00a0 When he came home this afternoon, with Stacy Cartwright and Molly O\u2019Hanlan, he was so excited . . . his face all aglow, like it was Christmas.\u00a0\u00a0 He told me about learning his letters, what they look like, how they sound, how they go together to form words, and learning to count from one to ten.<\/p>\n \u2018After supper, while I got ready to go to work, he insisted that I teach him to count to twenty.\u00a0\u00a0 We worked and worked.\u00a0\u00a0 By the time I left for the Silver Dollar, he was able to count to twenty flawlessly, without the least bit of hesitation.\u00a0\u00a0 It pleases me that Timmy likes school, and enjoys learning.\u00a0\u00a0 It also pleases me that he has a teacher like Miss Tess, a venerable woman who reminds me much of my grandmother.\u2019 \u201d<\/p>\n Timmy silently reflected on his mother\u2019s words, so recently written.\u00a0\u00a0 His eyes shone with unshed tears, and his lower lip quivered.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThank you, M-Mister Joe,\u201d he said quietly, at length.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMay I have those papers?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSure,\u201d Joe placed the folded pages into Timmy\u2019s eager, outstretched hands.<\/p>\n \u201cTimmy, it\u2019s time we got you into bed,\u201d Hoss said gently.<\/p>\n \u201cCan\u2019t I stay up a little while longer, Mister Hoss?\u201d Timmy begged.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPlease?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s past your bedtime now,\u201d Hoss said.<\/p>\n Timmy sighed, and reluctantly surrendered to the inevitable.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOK . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood night, Timmy,\u201d Tess said with a smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll see you again tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n On impulse, the boy ran over and threw his arms around Tess.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSee you tomorrow, Miss Tess,\u201d he said, giving her a big, enthusiastic squeeze.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGood night.\u201d<\/p>\n Timmy enthusiastically ran from one to the other, hugging everyone good night.\u00a0\u00a0 When he came to Stacy, he hugged her gently, remembering her injuries.\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss took the boy by the hand and led him upstairs.<\/p>\n \u201cI think I\u2019d better say good night, too,\u201d Tess said, rising.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI have a few more essays to grade before class tomorrow.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben, please give my compliments to Hop Sing.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s been a long time since I ate so fine a meal.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll do that, Miss Tess,\u201d Ben said, as they walked toward the front door.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWould you like someone to ride back with you?\u00a0\u00a0 I know I\u2019D feel better.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAlright, as long as it\u2019s not putting anyone out unduly,\u201d Tess agreed.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll ask Jonathan . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n \u201cAnything to report, Angel Boy?\u201d Tess asked, as she and Jonathan rode toward Virginia City.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Boss hasn\u2019t said much, but that\u2019s nothing new,\u201d he sighed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHowever, when Mister Cartwright and I went to fetch Stacy?\u00a0\u00a0 I looked out the window and watched Abel Caine washing his mouth out with soap.\u00a0\u00a0 I got this feeling that the Caines play a part in things somehow.\u00a0\u00a0 I still have the feeling.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut no idea WHAT part they\u2019re going to play, or HOW BIG a part they\u2019re going to play?\u201d Tess asked.<\/p>\n Jonathan shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAs I said, The Boss hasn\u2019t exactly been forthcoming with information.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve got the same gut feelings myself, Angel Boy,\u201d Tess said.<\/p>\n \u201cI also can\u2019t shake the feeling Timmy O\u2019Toole\u2019s pa\u2019s going to play a part in things as well,\u201d Jonathan added.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI have no idea in the world where he is, or even WHO he is for that matter.\u00a0\u00a0 All the Boss says about that is I\u2019ll know the guy if and when I see him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere was a diary that belonged to Lotus O\u2019Toole in with some things the sheriff asked Ben Cartwright to give Timmy,\u201d Tess said thoughtfully.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe recorded everything in Caltopian, a language she and Joe Cartwright made up as children.\u00a0\u00a0 Timmy asked Joe to translate it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCan he?\u201d Jonathan asked.<\/p>\n \u201cI think Joe surprised himself,\u201d Tess replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTonight, he read the entry Miss O\u2019Toole made on Timmy\u2019s first day of school.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She blushed, unable to help it.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know, if Lotus O\u2019Toole went to all the trouble of writing in a secret language only one other person in the world knew, besides herself, there may be a lot of personal information that just may shed some light regarding this assignment,\u201d Jonathan said.<\/p>\n \u201cLike the identity of Timmy\u2019s father,\u201d Tess said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWord has it she\u2019s never told anyone.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Jonathan agreed, \u201cand, assuming she wrote in that diary up until the last, she may have written down clues that point to the identity of her murderer.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe may have even named her murderer outright,\u201d Tess said soberly.<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n The following morning dawned clear and cold.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben Cartwright shivered under the blankets before reluctantly turning them aside.\u00a0 \u00a0He slowly eased himself to a sitting position, and reached for his robe, hanging in its usual place over the bed post on his head board, at his right.\u00a0\u00a0 He dreaded the heartbreaking duty that lay ahead of him today.\u00a0\u00a0 After breakfast, first thing, he would ride in to Virginia City and make the funeral arrangements for Lotus O\u2019Toole.<\/p>\n As he washed his face and dressed, Ben considered inviting Joe to accompany him.\u00a0\u00a0 It only seemed right in the face of a friendship that had endured since the first day both of them started first grade nearly twenty years ago.\u00a0\u00a0 He stepped out into the hall and walked the short distance to the still closed door to Joe\u2019s bedroom.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben knocked.<\/p>\n No answer.<\/p>\n Ben knocked again.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJoe?\u00a0\u00a0 You awake?\u201d<\/p>\n Still no answer.<\/p>\n Frowning, Ben cracked the door open and peered inside.\u00a0\u00a0 Joe\u2019s bed was made, and there was no sign of the clothing he had worn the day before.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben closed the door, then went downstairs in search of his youngest son.\u00a0\u00a0 He found Joe seated behind the desk, his head cradled in the circle of his arms, sound asleep.\u00a0\u00a0 Lotus O\u2019Toole\u2019s diary lay open on top of the desk.\u00a0\u00a0 Both it and Joe were surrounded by numerous papers, with notes scribbled on them.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben sighed softly, then walked over and gently shook his son awake.<\/p>\n Joe started violently, his sudden, abrupt movements sending the papers nearest the edge of the table flying onto the floor.<\/p>\n \u201cSorry, Son,\u201d Ben apologized.<\/p>\n \u201c \u2018S OK, Pa,\u201d Joe rose stiffly to his feet and stretched.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m coming upstairs now.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s morning, Joe,\u201d Ben said quietly.<\/p>\n Joe stared at his father with a look of stupefied incredulity for a moment.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cY-you mean . . . I\u2019ve been here all night?\u201d he queried, as he reached up to massage the back of his neck.<\/p>\n Ben nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cGuess I dozed off,\u201d he said, before yawning again.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAfter you went up to bed, it suddenly occurred to me that Lotus many have named her killer, or at the very least, left clues in her diary pointing in his direction.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDid you find anything?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI . . . I don\u2019t know, Pa, I just don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not sure I quite understand,\u201d Ben said, a bewildered frown creasing his brow.<\/p>\n Joe picked up a handful of notes and shuffled through them.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTake this entry, for instance,\u201d he said.\u00a0\u00a0 He looked down at the page on top of the stack in his hand and began to read.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s dated October 9 . . . a week before she . . . before she left for work and never r-returned home again.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He fell silent, working to regain a measure of composure.<\/p>\n Ben seated himself on the edge of the desk and waited for Joe to continue.<\/p>\n \u201c \u2018I\u2019m frightened, for me and for Timmy.\u00a0\u00a0 Today, when I came home from work I found a dead puppy next to the door stoop, wrapped in a blue blanket, it\u2019s head cruelly bashed.\u00a0\u00a0 There was an envelope addressed to me, with a note telling me not to make trouble, or else.<\/p>\n \u2018Why?\u00a0\u00a0 After all this time, why?\u00a0\u00a0 I want nothing from him . . . never asked him for anything . . . never done or said\u00a0 anything to make or cause trouble.\u00a0\u00a0 All I want is to live my life, and to raise my boy, I hope, to something better.<\/p>\n \u2018He knows.\u00a0\u00a0 He must know.\u00a0\u00a0 I don\u2019t know how he knows, or how he could have possibly found out.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ve never told a soul, not even Sally at the Silver Dollar, or Joe, my dearest and most trusted of friends.\u00a0\u00a0 But he knows.\u00a0\u00a0 I can feel it.\u00a0\u00a0 HE . . . . KNOWS.\u2019 \u201d<\/p>\n Ben silently mulled over Joe\u2019s translation of Lotus O\u2019Toole\u2019s written words, deeply disturbed and disheartened by their meaning and the images they conjured.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe never identifies the person making the threats?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d Joe dolefully shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPa, I can\u2019t understand it.\u00a0\u00a0 How can Lotus refer to Sally Tyler and me as her most trusted friends, and not tell us what was happening to her?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe WAS frightened,\u201d Ben said, \u201cand with good reason.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He shuddered at the thought of the puppy, bludgeoned to death lying wrapped in a baby blanket.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe may have been afraid that the person threatening her might harm you and Sally if she did tell you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAfter what happened to Lotus, I-I guess I can see why . . . she might have been afraid of Sally being hurt,\u201d Joe said, his voice breaking.\u00a0\u00a0 He glanced up looking over across the desk at his father, his hazel eyes meeting Ben\u2019s dark brown ones.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut, she could have told ME.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He broke eye contact and sank back down in the chair.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDear God, Pa, if only she HAD told me . . . if she had trusted me to protect her, Lotus\u2019d still be alive today.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben heard the anguish in Joe\u2019s heart and voice loud and clear.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJoe, you don\u2019t know that,\u201d he said, \u201cyou CAN\u2019T know that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCan\u2019t I, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n Ben immediately walked around to the other side of the desk, where he seated himself on the edge near where his youngest son sat.\u00a0 \u201cSon, look at me,\u201d he said in a gentle, yet very firm tone.<\/p>\n Joe turned and glanced up.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can\u2019t wallow in all this . . . this useless speculation,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0\u00a0 There was a pleading edge to his tone.<\/p>\n \u201cPa, you don\u2019t understand,\u201d Joe sobbed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIn spite of what she said in her diary, she didn\u2019t trust me enough to come to me.\u00a0\u00a0 I feel like . . . like I\u2019M the one who killed her, because she didn\u2019t trust me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJoseph, listen to me!\u201d Ben said sternly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou did NOT kill Lotus O\u2019Toole!\u00a0\u00a0 The man who . . . who used her . . . beat her, then left her in that meadow for dead . . . HE\u2019S the one who killed her.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPa, you just don\u2019t understand,\u201d Joe sobbed.<\/p>\n \u201cI understand, Son, all too well,\u201d Ben said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhen I found out Stacy was my daughter . . . by blood, I blamed myself for all the terrible things that happened to her before she came to live with us, because her mother, Paris, left here so abruptly without telling me she was pregnant.\u00a0\u00a0 The guilt I felt, because I obviously hadn\u2019t earned Paris\u2019 trust,\u00a0 almost destroyed my relationship not only with Stacy, but with you boys as well.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI remember, Pa,\u201d Joe said contritely.\u00a0\u00a0 He had never imagined the existence a common thread between Lotus O\u2019Toole and Paris McKenna.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJoseph, promise me you\u2019ll remember this:\u00a0\u00a0 we WERE there for both of them,\u201d Ben\u2019s tone was much gentler, \u201cyou for Lotus O\u2019Toole, and me for Paris McKenna.\u00a0\u00a0 Lotus said so in her diary, and Stacy, very bluntly I must say, reminded me that I WAS there for her mother, and would have been there for her, too, had I known.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy couldn\u2019t they bring themselves to come to us, when they so desperately needed us?\u201d Joe wondered aloud.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not going to pretend I know what their reasons were,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI can only say with any kind of reasonable certainty that, to them, their reasons were valid.\u00a0\u00a0 We have to accept that, without beating ourselves up over things that can\u2019t be changed.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe, I\u2019m going into town this morning to make the funeral arrangements,\u201d Ben said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWould you like to go with me?\u00a0\u00a0 It would certainly be appropriate, given how many years you\u2019ve been friends.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe wavered.\u00a0\u00a0 The mere thought of arranging the funeral for an old and very dear friend, murdered so cruelly, so soon, leaving behind a young boy orphaned with no family, tore his anguished heart to shreds.\u00a0\u00a0 At the same time, a very small, very quiet inner voice insisted that arranging her funeral could also be a gift of love and respect for an old, and dear friend.\u00a0\u00a0 It would be his last gift to Lotus O\u2019Toole in this life time.\u00a0\u00a0 He looked up at Ben, and nodded.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Chapter 6<\/p>\n Hop Sing served up a big breakfast of scrambled eggs, steak, fried potatoes, and fluffy biscuits,\u00a0 within less than half an hour later.\u00a0\u00a0 Timmy came to the table leading Hoss by the hand, his eyes shining with excitement.\u00a0\u00a0 He and Hoss were going to spend the morning at the corral feeding and exercising the horses.\u00a0\u00a0 They would return to the house for dinner, and afterward, go for a ride together to the shores of the lake.<\/p>\n \u201cYou just make sure you\u2019re back when Miss Tess comes this afternoon,\u201d Ben said as a reminder.<\/p>\n \u201cOh!\u00a0\u00a0 I forgot about Miss Tess coming,\u201d Timmy gasped.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI guess we\u2019d better not go to the lake today, Mister Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s important for ya to keep up with your school work, that\u2019s f\u2019r sure, Timmy,\u201d Hoss agreed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll go to the lake another time.\u201d<\/p>\n Stacy appeared at the table a few minutes after everyone had taken their places, grimacing every time she inhaled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSorry, I\u2019m late, Pa,\u201d she said slowly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI can\u2019t believe this!\u00a0\u00a0 I actually hurt worse this morning than I did last night.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat, I\u2019m afraid, is the usual way of things, Stacy,\u201d Ben said, wincing along with her as she slowly, painfully seated herself at the table.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou always feel worse before you start feeling better.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Even though Ben could well emphasize with his injured daughter, he felt a guilty sense of relief as well.\u00a0\u00a0 For today, at least, he could rest assured that Stacy would spend the day resting.<\/p>\n \u201cJust made special tea for Miss Stacy,\u201d Hop Sing said sympathetically.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHop Sing go get.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He returned a few moments later and placed an enormous mug of steaming hot tea, brewed from a mysterious mixture of herbs and powders.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou drink up, Miss Stacy,\u201d he said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTea help you not hurt so much.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDadburn it, Hop Sing,\u201d Hoss grimaced and wrinkled his nose with blatantly obvious distaste, \u201cwhat\u2019d you put in that brew anyway?\u00a0\u00a0 Smells like a polecat that\u2019s just let loose.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf it can give me some relief,\u201d Stacy said, holding her nose, \u201cI don\u2019t care if it smells like TEN polecats . . . that\u2019ve let loose.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou ain\u2019t really gonna drink it . . . are ya?\u201d Hoss looked over at Stacy as if she had just taken complete leave of her senses, if not her very sanity itself.<\/p>\n Stacy, still holding her nose, raised the mug to her lips and forced down the noxious contents in a single gulp.\u00a0\u00a0 She slowly set the mug down on the table, unsure for a brief, almost terrifying moment, whether she was going to faint or throw up.\u00a0\u00a0 The feeling passed almost immediately.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTh-thank you, Hop Sing,\u201d she murmured, \u201cI . . . I think I\u2019m actually feeling a little better already.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMiss Stacy know what good for her,\u201d Hop Sing declared, directing a withering glare in Hoss\u2019 general direction.\u00a0\u00a0 He turned his attention back to Stacy, smiling this time, and took back the mug.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNow Miss Stacy eat,\u201d he said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMiss Stacy need to build up strength to heal.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHop Sing\u2019s right about that,\u201d Ben said in complete agreement.\u00a0\u00a0 He picked up the bowl of scrambled eggs and placed it in front of Stacy.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDig in!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThanks, Pa,\u201d Stacy took the spoon and helped herself.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHey, Big Brother, would you please pass the steak and fried potatoes?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMister Joe, did you translate any more of the Caltopian?\u201d Timmy asked.<\/p>\n \u201cAs a matter of fact, yes, I did,\u201d Joe replied with a smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe date on this entry\u2019s a very special day.\u00a0\u00a0 June 10, five going on six years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJune tenth . . . THAT\u2019S my birthday!\u201d Timmy declared grinning from ear-to-ear.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s right,\u201d Joe said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThis June 10 was a real special birthday.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt was?\u201d Timmy queried.<\/p>\n \u201cYep,\u201d Joe replied, nodding his head.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause THIS was your very FIRST birthday.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Joe picked up the folded papers next to his plate and began to read.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c \u2018My little boy turns a whole year old today.\u00a0\u00a0 Where has the time gone?\u00a0\u00a0 Seems like only yesterday, he was born, a tiny helpless baby nestled quietly in my arms, suckling at my breast.\u00a0 Now he\u2019s a big, strapping boy, who can walk and run, and chatter a mile a minute.\u00a0\u00a0 No words yet, but soon.\u00a0\u00a0 I love this little boy, this angel, this ray of sunshine and thunder storm, more than I could possibly ever say, not if I lived to the ancient age of my venerable grandmother.<\/p>\n \u2018Tonight, Sam, Sally, and the other girls put together a big party for my little Timmy.\u00a0\u00a0 Such a wonderful surprise, for him, but especially for me.\u00a0\u00a0 Sam also invited Doc and Lilly Martin, Joe, Ben, and Stacy Cartwright.\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss was invited too, but couldn\u2019t come.\u00a0\u00a0 Seems he\u2019s laid up at home with a sprained ankle.\u00a0\u00a0 I did send a slice of cake.\u00a0\u00a0 A big slice of cake with a big, blue icing rose.<\/p>\n \u2018Timmy was so delightful, laughing, chattering like a magpie, full of hugs and blue icing faced kisses.\u00a0 I tried to clean him up first, but he runs so fast now, I couldn\u2019t catch him.\u00a0\u00a0 And nobody minded the cake on their clothes, the blue icing in their hair and on their faces.\u00a0\u00a0 Even Jenna Wilkes, always so fussy about her appearance, wouldn\u2019t hear of me stopping Timmy, his face and hands covered with cake and chocolate, from giving her a big hug and kiss.<\/p>\n \u2018They all love him so.\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy blowing bubbles to make him laugh, and playing peek-a-boo.\u00a0\u00a0 She\u2019s not much more than a child herself.\u00a0\u00a0 Neither is Joe when he gives my Timmy horsie rides, running around with him on his shoulders, laughing that laugh of his.\u00a0\u00a0 The biggest surprise of all is that Jenna Wilkes, the hardest hearted woman west of the Mississippi, I swear she is.\u00a0\u00a0 But, I see her all the time chattering back to Timmy in that baby talk language of his, making funny faces to make him laugh, and holding him when he cries.\u00a0 \u00a0I think her hard heart\u2019s all an act that Timmy sees right through.\u00a0\u00a0 Such is the magic of little children.<\/p>\n \u2018Timmy and I had such a marvelous, wonderful time.\u00a0\u00a0 I almost wish this party might go on and on, and never end.\u2019 \u201d<\/p>\n Joe folded the papers and passed them across the table to Timmy.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou can put these with the others,\u201d he said quietly.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, Mister Joe.\u00a0\u00a0 It almost feels like Ma\u2019s back with us again.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, it does,\u201d Joe agreed with a wistful smile.<\/p>\n \u201cTimmy, you \u2018n me need t\u2019 git goin\u2019 if \u2018n we\u2019re gonna take care o\u2019 them horses,\u201d Hoss said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe won\u2019t have Stacy t\u2019 help us out today.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m ready, Mister Hoss!\u201d the boy responded, his face glowing with excitement and anticipation.\u00a0\u00a0 He quickly shoveled the last bites of food on his plate into his mouth, and rose.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCan I ride one of the horses today, Mister Hoss?\u00a0\u00a0 Please, may I?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI can let you ride Chubb, but the ones at the corral . . . they ain\u2019t ready for ridin\u2019 yet,\u201d Hoss replied, and they left the table together and headed toward the front door.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe, you and I need to get a move on, too,\u201d Ben said, rising.<\/p>\n Joe drank the last of his coffee.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m ready, Pa,\u201d he said somberly.<\/p>\n \u201cMister Cartwright not need to worry about Miss Stacy,\u201d Hop Sing said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHop Sing make sure Miss Stacy rest, eat, and take medicine.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cStacy, you do as Hop Sing says, no arguments,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n \u201cPa, really!\u201d Stacy said, looking highly offended.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDo I\u00a0 look stupid enough to argue with the man who has every knife and meat cleaver in this house out in his kitchen?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMiss Stacy very smart young woman,\u201d Hop Sing said with an approving smile.<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n \u201cBen . . . Joe, a word with you, if I may?\u201d<\/p>\n Ben and Joe, both standing at the front door of the undertaker\u2019s place of business, paused and glanced up.\u00a0\u00a0 It was Paul Martin.<\/p>\n \u201cI was hoping I\u2019d catch you . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat can we do for you, Paul?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n \u201cI figured you\u2019d be making the final arrangements for Miss O\u2019Toole this morning,\u201d the doctor came right to the point.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou know Lily and I\u2019ve always been very fond of her and the boy, and . . . well, we talked it over last night, and we\u2019re more than willing to have the funeral observances in our home, if it\u2019s alright with you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI . . . I think that would be wonderful, Pa,\u201d Joe said, pleasantly surprised.\u00a0\u00a0 Lotus\u2019 mention of the Martins in her account of Timmy\u2019s first birthday party rose to the fore front of his mind.<\/p>\n \u201cYou sure, Paul?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n \u201cAbsolutely,\u201d Paul said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou just let me know the date.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJoe and I will be around to see you later,\u201d Ben promised.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThank Lily for us, too, would you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI sure will, Ben.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBen . . . \u2018morning, Joe.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 It was Sam, the bartender, owner and operator of the Silver Dollar.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI was hopin\u2019 to catch you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat can we do for you, Sam?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you don\u2019t have any place lined up to feed folks after the grave site service, you can have \u2018em come to the Silver Dollar,\u201d Sam said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll even put together a decent spread for ya.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s very generous, Sam,\u201d Ben said, awestruck.<\/p>\n \u201cShe worked for me, Ben,\u201d Sam said quietly, his eyes unusually bright.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe worked hard, and kept to her high ideals, \u2018specially after Timmy was born.\u00a0\u00a0 Life dealt that gal a real hard hand, but she did the best she could with what she had.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, she did,\u201d Joe said, his voice breaking.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you need a place for folks to come an\u2019 pay her their last respects . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPaul and Lily Martin beat you to the punch, I\u2019m afraid,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThey offered the use of their front parlor not five minutes before we ran into you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSam, any idea what Lotus\u2019 religious beliefs were?\u201d Joe asked.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe talked about God a lot when we were kids, but never anything more specific than that.\u201d<\/p>\n Sam quietly searched his mind for an answer.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI know she had Timmy christened at the church,\u201d he said slowly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe tried goin\u2019 there for a li\u2019l while, so Timmy might get a bit o\u2019 religious training, but stopped.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He frowned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSeems the ladies of the church went out of their way to make Lotus feel unwelcome.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDid she follow her ma\u2019s religious beliefs?\u201d Joe asked.<\/p>\n Sam dolefully shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI wish I could tell ya, Joe,\u201d he said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut, I just don\u2019t know.\u00a0\u00a0 If you\u2019d like, I\u2019ll ask Sally when she comes in to work tonight.\u00a0\u00a0 Could be Lotus talked some with her.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThanks, Sam, I\u2019d appreciate that,\u201d Joe said with heartfelt sincerity.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll letcha know,\u201d Sam promised in parting.<\/p>\n \u201cAll that remains now is a visit with Reverend Hildebrandt,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, Pa,\u201d Joe said, placing a restraining hand on Ben\u2019s forearm.<\/p>\n Ben turned and looked at Joe askance.<\/p>\n \u201cFirst of all, I\u2019d like to see if maybe Lotus told Sally about her religious beliefs,\u201d Joe said, \u201cassuming she had any at all.\u00a0\u00a0 If it turns out she didn\u2019t, I\u2019d rather we had a gathering of those of us she knew as her friends . . . kind of like we did for Miss Paris.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJoe, Miss Paris was a whole different situation entirely,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n \u201cHow so?\u201d Joe asked.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the time of HER death, we were reasonably certain that Paris had no religious affiliation,\u201d Ben explained.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThough she was raised in the Roman Catholic Church, she left it years ago.\u00a0\u00a0 We . . . also had to take Stacy\u2019s wishes into account, and . . . well, to say she was dead set against having a church funeral for her mother would be the understatement of the year.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 A note of sadness crept into Ben\u2019s voice as he spoke this last.<\/p>\n \u201cUnderstatement of the century would be closer to the mark, Pa,\u201d Joe remembered.<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t blame Stacy for feeling the way she did, not after all the grief that . . . that crazy uncle of hers put her through . . . . \u201d Ben was surprised at the intensity of feeling that still rose within as he looked back on that night.<\/p>\n \u201cI remember The Kid saying that Reverend Hildebrandt is just as much a religious fanatic in his own way as her uncle was,\u201d Joe said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPa?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Son?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI feel the same about Lotus, as Stacy did about her ma, Miss Paris,\u201d Joe said quietly and very firmly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou heard Sam just now, talking about how she had gone to the church for a little while after she had Timmy christened, but stopped because the \u2018good Christian\u2019 ladies at the church went out of their way to make her feel UNwelcome.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cI remember her telling me about that,\u201d Joe said, his mouth hardening into a thin angry line.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe went back to that church three times, Pa . . . THREE TIMES!\u00a0\u00a0 No one would even look at her, let alone actually speak to her.\u00a0\u00a0 If she sat down on a pew that was occupied?\u00a0\u00a0 Everyone would get up and move.\u00a0\u00a0 One Sunday, they were begging for volunteers to do something, I can\u2019t remember what it was now.\u00a0\u00a0 Lotus offered to help, and was turned away.\u00a0\u00a0 The next Sunday, the minister himself repeated the same announcement.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat is the church coming to these days?\u201d he wondered aloud, his outrage on hearing of Lotus O\u2019Toole\u2019s treatment at the hands of the parishioners coming through loud and clear.\u00a0\u00a0 But, there was a deep, profound sadness as well.\u00a0\u00a0 He remembered the church his own family had attended, the one in which he and his brothers and sisters had grown from infancy to adulthood, as being a loving, gracious, and tolerant community.\u00a0\u00a0 There, Lotus O\u2019Toole and her son, Timmy\u00a0 would not only have been accepted, but actually welcomed with open arms.<\/p>\n The church community of Ben Cartwright\u2019s childhood made it their practice to welcome the sick of body and spirit, the poor, the drunk and often disorderly who frequented the numerous bars and taverns lining Boston\u2019s many wharves, ex-convicts, foul mouthed sailors, and even the so-called righteous.\u00a0\u00a0 It was there Ben began to learn many of the lessons he carried with him throughout his life, about the meaning of community, tolerance, acceptance, forgiveness, charity, and above all love.<\/p>\n Ben suddenly realized, for the first time, that the so called righteous formed the vast majority of attendees at any given service here at the church over which Reverend Hildebrandt presided.\u00a0\u00a0 When he and his family attended services last Christmas, there was no sign whatsoever of the poor and disenfranchised.\u00a0\u00a0 Worse, as he overheard people talking, it became clear that the righteous folk of Virginia City looked down on, even actively hated those in some way less fortunate than they.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat in the world has the church come to?\u201d Ben quietly repeated the question, as his thoughts returned to Lotus O\u2019Toole and her outright rejection by the members of the church in Virginia City.<\/p>\n \u201cPa?\u201d<\/p>\n Ben glanced up and saw his youngest son looking over at him askance.\u00a0\u00a0 He managed a wistful half smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSorry, Son,\u201d he said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou telling me about Lotus trying to be part of the church community here just set me off on a long train of thought.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI was thinking . . . even if it turns out that Lotus had no religious beliefs, I\u2019d like YOU could read the psalm about God being our shepherd,\u201d Joe said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI like that one, especially when I hear you reading it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d be more than happy to, Son,\u201d Ben agreed.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d like you to read that passage about love that you read at Miss Paris\u2019 funeral, too, Pa,\u201d Joe continued, \u201cbecause, for me, a lot of Lotus was all about was love.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben nodded, pleased to see his son suddenly making the decisions about Lotus O\u2019Toole\u2019s funeral arrangements.<\/p>\n \u201cI can do something along the lines of a eulogy,\u201d Joe said, \u201cand I\u2019d like to ask Sally Tyler.\u00a0\u00a0 Sally took Lotus under her wing when she started work there, and they\u2019ve been close ever since.\u00a0\u00a0 We can let other people share their memories of Lotus, too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat about the assurances of the afterlife . . . of Heaven?\u201d Ben asked. \u00a0\u00a0\u201cStacy had her own beliefs to comfort and sustain her when her mother died.\u00a0\u00a0 But what about Timmy?\u201d<\/p>\n Joe smiled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI know just the right person for that, Pa,\u201d he said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMiss Tess.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cStacy\u2019s and Timmy\u2019s school teacher?\u201d<\/p>\n Joe nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhen she stopped by to visit yesterday, Timmy had questions about Heaven, and would his ma go there,\u201d he explained.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou should have heard her.\u00a0\u00a0 Poor Timmy was upset over some things Abel Caine told him, but Miss Tess assured him that his ma was with God and was in Heaven.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He lapsed into a moment of thoughtful silence.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhen Miss Tess told Timmy about God and Heaven . . . Pa, this may sound crazy, but I couldn\u2019t shake the feeling that she\u2019s been there and knows God personally.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMiss Tess IS someone very special,\u201d Ben agreed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI felt that within the first few moments of meeting her myself.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think when it comes to offering any kind of assurances about life after death, that Miss Tess has it over a million men like Reverend Hildebrandt,\u201d Joe said sincerely.<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019ll be stopping by to give Stacy and Timmy their lessons and homework this afternoon,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe can ask her then.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAlright,\u201d Joe agreed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIn the meantime, I\u2019d like to stop by the Silver Dollar, and see if I can find Sally.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Chapter 7<\/p>\n While Ben and Joe Cartwright finished making the arrangements for Lotus O\u2019Toole\u2019s funeral observances, Hoss Cartwright and Timmy O\u2019Toole had just returned to the house for dinner.\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss dismounted first, then reached up to help Timmy down.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m hungry, Mister Hoss,\u201d Timmy declared, \u201chungrier than a grouchy old grizzly that just woke up after a long winter\u2019s night.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDinner\u2019ll be ready in a little bit, Timmy,\u201d Hoss said with a smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut we gotta see to Chubb first, then wash up.\u201d<\/p>\n Timmy, caught in the delicious throes of exuberant childish high spirits ran to the barn door, laughing with pure delight, and opened it for Hoss and Chubb.\u00a0\u00a0 He also ran around the barn obediently fetching brush, feed, and blanket as Hoss requested.\u00a0\u00a0 They stopped out front to wash their hands together at the pump before entering the house.<\/p>\n \u201cMister Hoss?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, Timmy?\u201d Hoss responded as he double checked Timmy\u2019s hands and nails, then set about drying them.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere will I go?\u201d Timmy asked, an anxious frown knotting his brow.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you mean where will you go?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere will I go now that Ma\u2019s gone to Heaven?\u201d Timmy asked, as they started walking toward the house.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll have to do some checkin\u2019 around to see if there\u2019s any relatives of yours somewhere,\u201d Hoss replied.<\/p>\n \u201cMa told me all o\u2019 hers died in a fire a long time ago,\u201d Timmy said, slipping his small hand into Hoss\u2019 massive one.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s right . . . least wise the folks on her ma\u2019s side o\u2019 the family,\u201d Hoss said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHer pa . . . your grandpa . . . on t\u2019 other hand may have relatives somewhere . . . still livin\u2019 . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat about MY pa?\u201d Timmy asked.<\/p>\n \u201cYour pa?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI have a pa, don\u2019t I?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSure, Timmy, everybody\u2019s got a pa,\u201d Hoss replied.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat about MY pa?\u201d Timmy asked.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWill I go live with him?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTimmy, did your ma ever say anything to you about your pa?\u201d Hoss ventured the question almost hesitantly.<\/p>\n \u201cShe told me just before she . . . before she . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He fell silent for a moment, trying to compose himself.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMa told me that my pa was a good man, and she loved him very much.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDid she say whether he was livin\u2019 or not?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/p>\n \u201cI asked why Pa wasn\u2019t with us, Mister Hoss,\u201d the boy said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMa didn\u2019t say he was dead, exactly.\u00a0\u00a0 She just said he couldn\u2019t be with us.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTimmy, if we do happen to find your pa, an\u2019 he turns out to be a good man like your ma said . . . . \u201d Hoss privately had his doubts, \u201cwould you want to go live with him?\u201d<\/p>\n He opened his mouth to answer in the affirmative, then snapped it shut again upon realizing that if he did go to live with this mysterious pa of his, he might never see Mister Hoss again.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d he said with an indifferent shrug.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister Hoss?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, Timmy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat if we don\u2019t find any relatives, not even my pa?\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss grinned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThen I guess you\u2019ll have to stay with us here at the Ponderosa,\u201d he said, as an idea began to take shape in his mind.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWould you like that, Timmy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCan I see the horses everyday?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAfter you finish your schoolwork,\u201d Hoss said.<\/p>\n \u201cCan we go fishing and riding?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYep.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCan Stacy teach me to ride?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSure, if she\u2019s of a mind.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCan we still bunk together every night?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019d like.\u201d<\/p>\n The boy\u2019s warm, radiant smile lit up his whole face.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYeah, I want to stay here with you, Mister Hoss,\u201d Timmy declared, wrapping his small arms around Hoss\u2019 waist and giving him as big a bear hug as he could manage.<\/p>\n Hoss knelt down and took Timmy in his arms.<\/p>\n \u201cMister Hoss?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, Timmy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI love you,\u201d the boy declared throwing his arms exuberantly around Hoss\u2019 neck.<\/p>\n \u201cI love you, too, Timmy,\u201d Hoss said, hugging him once again, in return.<\/p>\n The front door opened.\u00a0\u00a0 Both looked up to see Stacy looking down at both of them with a bemused smile on her face.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou guys better get in here and get to the table,\u201d she said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHop Sing\u2019s having a fit!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCan\u2019t have that,\u201d Hoss rose to his feet and extended his hand.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCome on, Timmy.\u201d<\/p>\n The boy eagerly took Hoss\u2019 proffered hand, and together they entered the house leaving Stacy staring after them.<\/p>\n At the table, Timmy\u2019s voracious appetite immediately placed him squarely back in Hop Sing\u2019s good graces.\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss ate with his usual relish, and even Stacy\u2019s appetite ran above its usual norm.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you for dinner, Mister Hop Sing,\u201d Timmy paid his compliments to the chef in flawless Chinese.<\/p>\n Hop Sing beamed with pure pleasure and delight.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re most welcome,\u201d he responded back in his native tongue.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNow time for Miss Stacy to take medicine,\u201d he announced, switching back to English.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHop Sing go get.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He returned to the dining room with a large mug of the same tea he had served up after breakfast.<\/p>\n \u201cWhew!\u00a0\u00a0 That stuff smells worse \u2018n it did this mornin\u2019,\u201d Hoss declared, grimacing.<\/p>\n \u201cLike a pole cat that\u2019s just let loose?\u201d Timmy queried, laughing and looking up at Hoss with a mixture of adoration and pride.<\/p>\n \u201cHey, it works!\u201d Stacy said, accepting the mug.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAnd after I get past feeling like I\u2019m gonna throw up, it\u2019s not really that bad.\u00a0\u00a0 Cheers!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She raised the mug in salute, then, firmly holding her nose, swallowed the contents in a single gulp.<\/p>\n \u201cStacy . . . . ?\u201d Hoss looked over at her anxiously, as the color drained from her face.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll be alright, Big Brother, honest,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n A loud, firm knock at the front door drew Hoss\u2019 attention from his sister\u2019s immediate physical distress.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDadburn it, who could that be?\u201d Hoss wondered aloud, rising.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat couldn\u2019t be Miss Tess, could it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot likely, Big Brother,\u201d Stacy replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe wouldn\u2019t be coming to see Timmy and me until AFTER school.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss left the dining room area and went to the door.\u00a0\u00a0 Outside, he saw a tall man, standing almost as tall as himself, clad in a black suit, black shirt, wearing a clerical collar.\u00a0\u00a0 Aged around the same as that of Joe Cartwright, he had broad, well muscled shoulders, that tapered to a narrow trim waist.\u00a0\u00a0 His dark brown hair, neatly trimmed, framed the strikingly handsome face of an Adonis with it\u2019s olive complexion, broad jaw line, cleft chin, and dark brown piercing eyes. \u00a0\u00a0He had a Bible tucked under one arm.\u00a0\u00a0 He smiled, showing a line of shining white teeth, and offered his free hand.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGood afternoon, I\u2019m Reverend Daniel Hildebrandt,\u201d he greeted Hoss politely.<\/p>\n \u201cHoss Cartwright,\u201d he said, shaking the reverend\u2019s hand. \u00a0\u00a0\u201cWhat can I do for ya?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m here to pay a condolence call,\u201d the clergyman replied.<\/p>\n \u201cIs that a fact?\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss turned and found his sister standing a few feet behind him, arms folded defiantly across her chest, leveling the good reverend a look meant to kill.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cStacy, manners,\u201d he hissed sotto voce.<\/p>\n \u201cI CAN come back another time, if . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, please, come on in, Reverend,\u201d Hoss stood aside and invited Stacy to do likewise with a ferocious glare of his own.\u00a0\u00a0 Much to his relief, she acquiesced, albeit reluctantly.\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss led the way into the living room area, near the fireplace, with Timmy and Stacy following.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCan I get you some coffee or tea?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCoffee would be wonderful, thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss invited the minister to sit down with a gesture.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHop Sing?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Mister Hoss?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWould you please bring a cup o\u2019 coffee for Reverend Hildebrandt here?\u201d<\/p>\n Hop Sing nodded and moved off.<\/p>\n \u201cYou ASK your servants, instead of ORDER?!\u201d Daniel Hildebrandt looked over at Hoss in open bewilderment and skepticism.<\/p>\n \u201cHop Sing is a member of this family, Reverend Hildebrandt,\u201d Stacy immediately rushed to his defense.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI think I can safely say that Pa taught all of us that family members say please and thank you to each other.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss rolled his eyes, wondering what perverse bedevilment had suddenly gotten into his sister.\u00a0\u00a0 He had never known her to be so openly hostile, unless provoked.<\/p>\n \u201cAs I said, I\u2019ve come to pay a condolence call,\u201d Daniel said complacently, \u201c . . . AND to offer my services.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYour services?!\u201d Hoss queried with a puzzled frown.<\/p>\n \u201cOfficiating at her funeral service,\u201d Daniel explained.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMiss O\u2019Toole was a member of MY congregation, after all . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPa and our brother, Joe, are in town makin\u2019 arrangements now,\u201d Hoss said.<\/p>\n \u201cReally.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Daniel frowned.\u00a0\u00a0 He had been at home in the parsonage all morning, yet had not seen anything of either Ben or Joe Cartwright.\u00a0 Even though their attendance, once regular, had waned since the retirement of his predecessor, they would almost certainly seek him out regarding weddings or funerals.<\/p>\n Hop Sing stepped into the living room area with a tray, bearing a coffee pot, three mugs, a glass of milk for Timmy, sugar, and cream.\u00a0\u00a0 He placed the tray on the coffee table in front of Hoss, then quietly withdrew.<\/p>\n \u201cSorry, I\u2019m fergettin\u2019 my manners,\u201d Hoss said.\u00a0\u00a0 He poured a mug of coffee for the minister and passed it over to him.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cReverend Hildebrandt, this is my sister, Stacy . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow do you do, Stacy?\u201d the minister smiled and extended his hand.<\/p>\n \u201cReverend Hildebrandt,\u201d Stacy coolly acknowledged the introduction with a slight nod and reluctant hand shake.<\/p>\n \u201c . . . an\u2019 this here\u2019s Miss O\u2019Toole\u2019s little boy, Timmy,\u201d Hoss said, drawing the boy front and center.\u00a0\u00a0 All of the exuberance, so openly manifest a short while ago at the dinner table, had vanished into wary shyness.<\/p>\n The good Reverend Daniel Hildebrandt ignored the boy, choosing to focus his attention on Hoss.\u00a0\u00a0 This drew a withering glare from Stacy.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister Cartwright, I\u2019m here to offer what meager comfort I can at a time like this,\u201d Daniel said, his beatific smile firmly in place.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSometimes, the will of Almighty God is very hard to accept . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n This drew a sharp, angry glare from Stacy, seated in the red leather upholstered easy chair once favored by Joe\u2019s mother, Marie.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s the will of Almighty God?\u201d Timmy ventured innocently.<\/p>\n \u201cThe will of Almighty God is the will of Almighty God,\u201d Daniel answered in an insultingly condescending manner.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt was and is the will of God that your mother be with Him in Heaven.\u201d<\/p>\n Innocence gave way to shocked horror.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cY-you mean . . . it\u2019s the will of God that my ma died?\u201d he whispered fearfully.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Son,\u201d Daniel replied with a touch of smug complacence.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNothing happens on Earth that is not the will of God.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c . . . and it\u2019s the will of God that my ma was hurt so bad first?\u201d Timmy\u2019s eyes, round with shock and horror, glistened with unshed tears.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Son,\u201d Daniel said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI know that must be very hard to accept, but . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n With a strangled cry of complete and utter despair, Timmy turned heel and fled upstairs, leaving Hoss and Stacy behind, staring after him helplessly.<\/p>\n \u201cExcuse me,\u201d Hoss muttered through clenched teeth, rising.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve got to see to Timmy.\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy, would you mind seein\u2019 the good reverend out?\u201d<\/p>\n Stacy rose, glaring down at the clergy man with white hot, murderous fury.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou heard my brother, Reverend,\u201d she said, her tone turning his title into a vile insult.<\/p>\n \u201cI am not leaving until I can sit down with your father, Young Lady,\u201d he said loftily, his address increasing Stacy\u2019s growing rage.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSince I missed him in town this morning, I fully intend to wait right here until he returns.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReverend Hildebrandt, get the bloody hell out of this house,\u201d Stacy ordered.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNow!\u201d<\/p>\n The clergyman deftly pulled his watch from his pocket and glanced down at it, pointedly and insultingly ignoring Stacy.<\/p>\n \u201cMiss Stacy?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 It was Hop Sing.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMiss Stacy have trouble?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Hop Sing,\u201d she replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHoss asked me to see Reverend Hildebrandt out, but he seems hell bent on staying where he\u2019s definitely not welcome.\u201d<\/p>\n In the yard in front of the Cartwright home, Ben and Joe arrived home, both looking sad and weary.\u00a0\u00a0 Jonathan, though weary himself after a hard morning\u2019s work, was on hand to take their horses.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks, Jonathan,\u201d Joe said gratefully, favoring the older individual with a tired, wistful smile.<\/p>\n Ben mutely nodded his thanks, then led the way to the porch.\u00a0\u00a0 Before either he or his youngest son had a chance to step up on the porch, the front door opened and before their astonished eyes, a flying form, clad almost entirely in black sailed past them and landed ignobly on the dirt just beyond.<\/p>\n \u201cWow!\u201d Stacy exclaimed from within the house, awe and great respect heard clearly in her voice, and starkly evident on her face.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHop Sing, I had no idea!\u00a0\u00a0 Where\u2019d you ever learn moves like that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShaolin Temple in China,\u201d Hop Sing replied, with a savage grin.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat in the—!?\u201d Ben sputtered, as he entered the house.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWas that Reverend Hildebrandt?!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, it was, Pa,\u201d Stacy replied, her voice unsteady.\u00a0\u00a0 Her growing fury pushed her relentlessly to the edge of tears.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe was asked to leave, and he refused.\u00a0\u00a0 Please, excuse me . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 With that, she pushed past Ben and Joe and fled out toward the barn.<\/p>\n \u201cThat . . . ****,\u201d the word was Chinese.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben couldn\u2019t help but notice that his youngest son\u2019s complexion paled significantly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe come here, get Timmy upset with talk about will of God, then refuse to leave when Mister Hoss and Miss Stacy say,\u201d Hop Sing explained, his own anger smoldering in his dark brown, almost black, eyes.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHop Sing make him leave.\u00a0\u00a0 He give Hop Sing no choice.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFrom the sound of things, I probably would have done as you did,\u201d Ben said grimly, \u201cmaybe not quite as well . . . .\u00a0\u00a0 Where\u2019s Hoss?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMister Hoss upstairs with Timmy,\u201d Hop Sing replied.<\/p>\n Ben nodded.\u00a0 \u201cJoe . . . Hop Sing, the two of you\u2019d better dust off the good reverend and see him on his way,\u201d he said, \u201cand Joseph . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf Reverend Hildebrandt gives you any trouble, let Hop Sing handle it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou bet I will, Pa,\u201d Joe promised eagerly.<\/p>\n \u201cAs for me, I\u2019d better go see to Stacy . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n Stacy Cartwright, meanwhile, tore into the barn, tears of rage now spilling freely down her cheeks.\u00a0\u00a0 She immediately, without thinking, seized the remnants of a wooden box and hurled it across the barn toward the empty stalls on the other side.\u00a0\u00a0 The abrupt, sweeping movement of her upper body and arms exacerbated the injuries sustained at school the previous day.\u00a0\u00a0 Crying out in physical pain as well as mental anguish, she wrapped her arms protectively about her abdomen while collapsing hard against the wall behind her.<\/p>\n \u201cStacy?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Ben was at her side an instant later, his arms around her offering both physical and emotional support.<\/p>\n \u201cStupid . . . th-that w-was . . . really stupid . . . . \u201d Stacy barely managed to gasp as she collapsed against Ben.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s get you back into the house,\u201d Ben said anxiously.<\/p>\n \u201cIf . . . if I c-could just . . . sit d-down a minute,\u201d Stacy gasped.<\/p>\n Glancing around, Ben spotted a large bale of hay next to the stall occupied by her horse, Blaze face, who through out the entire exchange, had been whinnying anxiously.\u00a0 \u00a0He carefully steered her over to the bale of hay, where the two of them sat down together.\u00a0\u00a0 Blaze Face leaned down and affectionately nuzzled the top of her head.<\/p>\n \u201cHop Sing told me that Reverend Hildebrandt said something that upset Timmy,\u201d Ben said quietly, placing an arm around her shoulders.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cFrom the looks of things, I\u2019d say he\u2019s upset you, too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe told poor Timmy that his ma\u2019s suffering and dying are all part of God\u2019s Will,\u201d the words tumbled out one after the other, accompanied by a torrent of angry tears.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI couldn\u2019t believe my ears!\u00a0\u00a0 That was cruel!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI agree with you wholeheartedly,\u201d Ben declared with a scowl.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cReverend Hildebrandt had no business saying that to a child, especially a child as young as Timmy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI . . . I can\u2019t understand it, Pa,\u201d Stacy dolefully shook her head.<\/p>\n Ben handed her a handkerchief, then fell silent, trying to gather his thoughts.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cStacy, many people DO believe that all the bad that happens in this world, and all the good, too, is the will of God.\u00a0\u00a0 A lot of them even find comfort in the idea, especially through the bad times.\u201d<\/p>\n Stacy looked over at him, openly skeptical.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHow can anyone find comfort in a God who wills bad things to happen to people . . . like what happened to Miss O\u2019Toole?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not so much that,\u201d Ben explained.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI think they really find comfort in the idea that there\u2019s Someone out there who\u2019s bigger than themselves and whatever besets them,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n \u201cYou and Silver Moon have always taught me that God is a loving God,\u201d Stacy said, her voice still unsteady, \u201cand I know that to be true.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ve felt Her Love myself many times, and I can see it in the kind of people you and Silver Moon are.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She sighed, and blew her nose gingerly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t know why bad things happen, Pa, but I know it\u2019s NOT the will of God.\u00a0\u00a0 It can\u2019t be!\u00a0\u00a0 No God who loves as She does could possibly will what happened to Miss O\u2019Toole.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI agree with you, Stacy,\u201d Ben said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI know God is with us during the bad times, and gives us strength and comfort to see us through them, but I can\u2019t believe for one minute that God actually wills them, either.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPa, why do bad things happen, like what happened to Miss O\u2019Toole?\u201d Stacy asked.<\/p>\n \u201cThe answer I have isn\u2019t any easier than believing it to be the will of God,\u201d Ben said earnestly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI believe people are capable of great good, and great evil.\u00a0\u00a0 I also believe that we\u2019ve been given the freedom to choose.\u00a0\u00a0 What happened to Miss O\u2019Toole wasn\u2019t the will of God, but the will . . . and choice of a very sick, twisted man.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat about people who make horrible choices like that?\u201d Stacy asked, frowning as her anger began to rise once more.<\/p>\n \u201cThe man who hurt and killed Miss O\u2019Toole will have to answer for what he did,\u201d Ben said firmly, \u201cideally in a court of law.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat if Sheriff Coffee can\u2019t find him?\u201d Stacy asked.<\/p>\n \u201cThen he\u2019ll have to answer to a judge far more terrible,\u201d Ben replied.<\/p>\n \u201cWhich judge is that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGod,\u201d Ben answered.<\/p>\n \u201cI couldn\u2019t have said it better myself, Mister Cartwright.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Jonathan stepped out from the stall occupied by Joe\u2019s mount, Cochise, with Joe\u2019s saddle in both hands.\u00a0\u00a0 He placed the saddle on its rack, then turned his attention back to Ben and Stacy.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSorry, I couldn\u2019t help overhearing . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cProbably everyone within ten miles of the Ponderosa heard, especially when I threw that box,\u201d Stacy said wincing in both physical pain and contrition.<\/p>\n \u201cHas the pain lessened any?\u201d Ben asked, remembering again her fractured ribs.<\/p>\n \u201cSome,\u201d Stacy said, \u201cbut I still hurt a lot worse than I did when I came out here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou think maybe I should ride into town and fetch Doc Martin?\u201d Jonathan asked.<\/p>\n \u201cThat might not be a bad idea,\u201d Ben agreed, \u201cjust to be on the safe side.\u201d<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n \u201cI HATE GOD, I HATE GOD, I HATE GOD!\u201d Timmy screamed, as he furiously pounded the pillow beneath him with his two small, tightly balled fists.<\/p>\n \u201cTimmy, stop it,\u201d Hoss said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou don\u2019t mean that!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, yes I do,\u201d Timmy sobbed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGod willed that my ma should get hurt real bad, and then die.\u00a0\u00a0 I hate Him for that, I hate Him!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTimmy, I want you to set yourself up here an\u2019 look at me,\u201d Hoss said in a firm tone that brooked no argument.<\/p>\n Timmy rolled over on his back, and looked up at Hoss.\u00a0\u00a0 The tears, born of anguish and fury, still glistened on his face.<\/p>\n \u201cNow sit yourself up,\u201d Hoss said.<\/p>\n Sobbing, Timmy pulled himself up to a sitting position and crossed his legs.<\/p>\n Hoss handed the boy a handkerchief.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI want you to listen to me an\u2019 I want you to listen good,\u201d he said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cReverend Hildebrandt was dead WRONG when he said what he did \u2018bout your ma dyin\u2019 \u2018cause it was the will o\u2019 God.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cB-but, he\u2019s a minister,\u201d Timmy wailed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAbel Caine says he\u2019s a man of God, and that he knows all there is to know about God.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTimmy, there ain\u2019t no man or woman either, for that matter, that knows all there is t\u2019 know \u2018bout God,\u201d Hoss said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAnyone who says so is either just plain foolish, or lyin\u2019 right through his teeth.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEven ministers?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cESPECIALLY ministers sometimes!\u201d\u00a0 Hoss said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMy pa taught me, my brothers, and my sister that God is a God o\u2019 LOVE.\u00a0\u00a0 No God o\u2019 love is gonna will for your ma t\u2019 get hurt like she did, or will for her to die.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHoss Cartwright, you took the words right out of my mouth.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss and Timmy looked up and saw Miss Tess standing framed in the doorway, hands on her hips, and a big smile on her face.<\/p>\n \u201cMiss Tess, come on in,\u201d Hoss invited, as he rose to his feet.<\/p>\n Tess entered and sat down on the bed beside Timmy.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat Reverend Hildebrandt\u2019s been a pain in that part of my anatomy which comes in contact with the saddle, too,\u201d she said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTimmy, I want you to promise me you\u2019ll remember what Mister Hoss said, no matter what Reverend Hildebrandt or anyone else for that matter, tells you about the will o\u2019 God.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGee, Miss Tess, you sure know an awful lot about God, and about Heaven,\u201d Timmy said, wiping his eyes against the heel of his hand.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, Timmy, when you\u2019ve been around as long as I have . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAs long as you have, Miss Tess?\u201d he queried, his eyes round as saucers.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHow long have you been around?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s just say I\u2019ve been around for a very, very, VERY long time,\u201d Tess said with a mysterious smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAnd anyone who\u2019s been around that long is bound to pick up a nugget of information about God here and there.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDo YOU know all there is to know about God?\u201d the boy asked.<\/p>\n Tess laughed gently.\u00a0\u00a0 Her laughter had a melodic quality that brought with it a balm for troubled spirit and soul.\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss could feel its warmth penetrate deep into his own heart, and even into the very marrow of his bones.\u00a0\u00a0 Looking over at Timmy, so troubled and angry a scant few moments ago, Hoss could see that the boy benefited as well.<\/p>\n \u201cBaby,\u201d Tess said, \u201cif you stack what I know about God against how much there is to LEARN about God, by comparison it amounts to a single drop of water against a vast and deep ocean.\u00a0\u00a0 I have a lot of questions about God going through my head, but it seems every time I answer one, that answer turns around and asks a hundred MORE questions.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally?\u201d Timmy asked in a small, shy, awestruck voice.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Baby, really,\u201d Tess said.<\/p>\n \u201cNow you\u2019re takin\u2019 the words right out o\u2019 MY mouth, Miss Tess,\u201d Hoss said, smiling.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTimmy, you feel up to crackin\u2019 a few o\u2019 them schoolbooks with your teacher?\u201d<\/p>\n The boy nodded eagerly, drying the last of his tears on Hoss\u2019 handkerchief.<\/p>\n \u201cIn that case, I\u2019m gonna mosey on downstairs an\u2019 letcha git to it,\u201d Hoss said.<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n Chapter 8<\/p>\n Satisfied that Timmy was in excellent hands with Miss Tess, and that the worst his upsetting encounter with Reverend Hildebrandt lay behind him, Hoss went downstairs in search of his father.\u00a0\u00a0 He found Ben seated at his usual place at the dining room table with Stacy seated at his right.\u00a0\u00a0 He noted with consternation that his sister seemed to be in worse agony than ever.<\/p>\n \u201cTimmy\u2019s upstairs having his lessons with Miss Tess,\u201d Hoss said, seating himself across the table from his sister.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat happened to YOU, Little Sister?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n \u201cI went out to the barn, after . . . after H-Hop Sing threw R-Reverend Hildebrandt . . . out of the house, and . . . and threw a temper tantrum,\u201d Stacy ruefully confessed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe . . . he really made me mad, Big Brother . . . w-with all those horrible things he said to Timmy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDadburn it, that man o\u2019 the cloth oughtta be tarred and feathered, then run outta town on a rail,\u201d Hoss said, his mouth and lower jaw muscles tightening in anger.<\/p>\n Hop Sing entered from the kitchen with a mug filled to the brim with the noxious pain deadening tea.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMiss Stacy drink,\u201d he said, placing the steaming mug before her.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMust drink while hot.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHop Sing, that ain\u2019t much better than the stuff you been makin\u2019 Stacy drink at breakfast and at dinner,\u201d Hoss said, wrinkling his nose in distaste.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI could almost swear that concoction smells like Li\u2019l Joe\u2019s dirty socks.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBig Brother, you\u2019re right!\u201d Stacy laughed, and instantly regretted it.<\/p>\n \u201cDrink, Miss Stacy,\u201d Hop Sing urged.<\/p>\n Stacy hefted the mug, held her nose, and drank.<\/p>\n \u201cPa, you mind if we step outside a minute?\u201d Hoss asked.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI have something real important I need to discuss with you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGo ahead, Pa,\u201d Stacy said immediately, when Ben cast an anxious glance in her direction.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m in good hands with Hop Sing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAlright . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Ben rose and followed Hoss outside.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat is it, Son?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPa, I\u2019ve been thinkin\u2019 about adoptin\u2019 Timmy,\u201d Hoss said coming straight to the point.<\/p>\n Ben\u2019s eyes went round with surprise.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThis is kind of sudden, Hoss,\u201d he said quietly.<\/p>\n \u201cI know,\u201d Hoss allowed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s only been with us a couple o\u2019 days, but, I love \u2018im, Pa.\u00a0\u00a0 I do.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know you and Timmy have been inseparable since that morning you, Stacy, and Molly found him home alone,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI can see that you\u2019ve had a lot of fun being together, and that\u2019s been good, Son, for Timmy and for you, too.\u00a0\u00a0 But, there\u2019s a lot more to being a father than simply having fun being together.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know that,\u201d Hoss said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBein\u2019 a good pa means teachin\u2019 the boy the difference between right an\u2019 wrong, responsibility, courtesy, respect for others and himself, bein\u2019 there for him when he needs me to be, and knowin\u2019 when to give him the space he needs to try his own wings.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ve been thinkin\u2019 about all that, too, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI hope you know that none of it\u2019s easy,\u201d Ben said gravely.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAs hard as I\u2019ve thought raising you boys and Stacy was going to be, there\u2019s been many, many times I\u2019ve wished it were only that EASY.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPa, can I ask you a personal question?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSure . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDid you ever regret takin\u2019 the lot o\u2019 us on?\u201d Hoss asked.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve known a lot o\u2019 folks who found themselves widowed suddenly, who farmed their kids out t\u2019 other relatives, even put \u2018em up for adoption.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben smiled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo, Hoss, I\u2019ve never regretted it one bit, taking the lot of you on,\u201d he replied.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel the same way about Timmy, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHave you talked with Timmy about this?\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNot yet, Pa,\u201d he replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI wanted to talk with you first.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben fell silent for a moment, contemplating.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s a fine boy, Hoss,\u201d he said finally, at length, \u201cone I\u2019d be real proud to call grandson . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n Hoss smiled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThanks, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAssuming this is all ok with Timmy, too, next time we\u2019re in town, we can stop by Lucas Milburn\u2019s office and ask him to start making inquiries about possible next of kin,\u201d Ben said slowly.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll do it, Pa,\u201d Hoss said.<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n Jonathan Smith, meanwhile, saddled Blaze Face, at Ben\u2019s suggestion and with Stacy\u2019s permission, for his trip to Doctor Martin\u2019s office in Virginia City.\u00a0\u00a0 The horse\u2019s opportunities for exercise had diminished considerably due to Stacy\u2019s injuries.\u00a0\u00a0 While it was quite obvious that the girl\u2019s angry outburst had caused her considerably more pain and anguish, Jonathan felt reasonably certain that she hadn\u2019t brought additional harm upon herself.<\/p>\n As he rode toward Virginia City, his thoughts centered on Reverend Hildebrandt.\u00a0\u00a0 The man had proven a very painful, if mostly proverbial, thorn in the flesh for Tess, almost from the first day she arrived in Virginia City.\u00a0\u00a0 Jonathan smiled as he remembered reading through one particular report . . . .<\/p>\n Tess, to whom singing came as naturally and as easily as breathing, told the school board that she wanted to add music to the school curriculum.\u00a0\u00a0 Reverend Daniel Hildebrandt was adamantly opposed.\u00a0\u00a0 At his instigation, most of the regular churchgoers turned up at the School Board Meeting called to debate and decide the issue.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cSinging,\u201d the reverend declared in a lofty, imperious tone, \u201cis for the praise of God.\u00a0\u00a0 As such, it belongs within the hallowed walls of a church, NOT in a school room.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He grimaced when saying the last two words, as if they had been rancid, over spiced morsels of food.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cYou call the singing that comes from your church praise to God?\u201d Tess demanded indignantly, standing like a prizefighter with her feet shoulder length apart, hands firmly, squarely, and defiantly on her hips.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve heard livelier music at funerals!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n The head of the school board, an elderly gentleman, whose mind remained sharp as a tack, laughed out loud.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI gotta agree with ya there, Miss Tess,\u201d he said, when his mirth had finally begun to subside.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou can have your music program, on one condition.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cAnd that is?\u201d Tess queried warily.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t teach \u2018em anything deader than funeral music,\u201d he quipped, with a long, meaningful glance at Reverend Hildebrandt . . . . \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Jonathan reached Doctor Martin\u2019s office in relatively short order.\u00a0\u00a0 He tethered Blaze Face just outside the doctor\u2019s office, then bounded over to the door and knocked.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re the new man working for Ben,\u201d the doctor said by way of greeting, when he opened the door.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJonathan, right?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Sir,\u201d Jonathan replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister Cartwright sent me to fetch you.\u00a0\u00a0 Seems Stacy may have, at the very least, suffered a bit of a set back.\u00a0\u00a0 He\u2019d like you to come check her out . . . make sure everything\u2019s still alright.\u201d<\/p>\n Paul Martin shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAll the patience that kid has can easily fit on the head of a pin and leave lots of room to spare,\u201d he said, shaking his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat did she do?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe picked up a wooden box in the barn and threw it in a fit of temper,\u201d Jonathan replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe immediately realized the stupidity of her actions, but everyone pretty much agreed they were justified.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReverend Hildebrandt came out to the Ponderosa earlier this afternoon to pay a condolence call,\u201d Jonathan explained, his mouth and jaw muscles tightening in anger.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe sat there going on and on about how Miss O\u2019Toole\u2019s injuries and death were the will of God.\u00a0\u00a0 He upset Timmy terribly, and sparked off Stacy\u2019s hot Irish temper at the same time.\u201d<\/p>\n Paul frowned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSomething about that man really puts me off, too,\u201d he admitted.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe last time I sat in church on a Sunday morning was Reverend Hildebrandt\u2019s first Sunday.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ve not been back since, and I don\u2019t intend to go back unless and until they fire him or he decides to move on himself.\u201d<\/p>\n Jonathan made a mental note to ask Tess about Reverend Hildebrandt, the next time he saw her.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll come with you now, Jonathan,\u201d the doctor said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI just need to fetch my bag, then let Lily know I\u2019m going.\u201d<\/p>\n Jonathan nodded, as the doctor made his way toward his examination room.<\/p>\n There was a hesitant knock on the front door.<\/p>\n \u201cJonathan, would you mind getting that?\u201d the doctor asked.<\/p>\n \u201cNot at all,\u201d Jonathan replied.\u00a0\u00a0 He walked over to the door and opened it.\u00a0\u00a0 A young man with reddish blonde hair, attired in a pair of gray pants, white shirt, and yellow ochre leather vest stood outside.\u00a0\u00a0 Jonathan knew from the swollen eyelids and upper lip that the young man had been crying almost incessantly for a number of hours.<\/p>\n \u201cIs . . . Is D-Doc Martin in?\u201d the young man ventured hesitantly.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, but he\u2019s getting ready to ride with me out to the Ponderosa,\u201d Jonathan replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIs your need an emergency?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, I\u2019m . . . I\u2019m n-not here as a patient, actually . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 The young man closed his eyes and forced himself to take shallow breaths, one after the other, after the other, in alarming rapid succession.\u00a0\u00a0 He felt the room spinning, even though his eyes remained squeezed tight shut, and lungs laboring mightily to expand against muscle and bone that had suddenly turned from flesh to hard granite.\u00a0\u00a0 His stance wavered . . . .<\/p>\n \u201cPlease . . . come inside,\u201d Jonathan kindly invited, as he took firm hold of the young man\u2019s arm and drew him into the Martins\u2019 home.\u00a0\u00a0 He steered him down the short distance between front door and entrance to the formal parlor and sat him down into the nearest chair.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLean over,\u201d Jonathan admonished the young man, \u201cand take deep breaths . . . slow and easy.\u201d<\/p>\n The young man dropped his mouth open and began gulping in lungful after lungful, with the same greedy intensity a man, dying of thirst in the desert, gulps down water, if he\u2019s lucky enough to find it.<\/p>\n \u201cEasy!\u201d Jonathan ordered, his concern for the young man\u2019s well being giving his tone of voice a sharp edge.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTake it easy!\u201d<\/p>\n It took nearly every ounce of will the young man possessed to keep his breaths slow and even.\u00a0\u00a0 Finally, after what seemed to him a dreadful eternity, the muscles and bones within his chest began to relax, allowing him to breathe easier and the lightheadedness to dissipate.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThank you,\u201d he murmured gratefully, upon lifting his head.<\/p>\n \u201cYou all right?\u201d Jonathan gently inquired.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d the young man replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYeah . . . leastwise I WILL be.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He slowly raised his head and upper torso, taking great pains to keep his movements slow and fluid.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI, uhhh . . . don\u2019t believe we\u2019ve met,\u201d he murmured softly as he sagged heavily against the back of the chair he occupied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMy name\u2019s William Caine.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJonathan Smith,\u201d Jonathan introduced himself, as he shook hands with the young man.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCaine . . . . \u201d he mused aloud.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou any relation to Judge Caine?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s my father,\u201d the young man replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s William Caine Senior, I\u2019m William Caine Junior.\u00a0\u00a0 You . . . know my father, Mister Smith?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPlease call me Jonathan.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAlright, Jonathan, if you\u2019ll call me Bill.\u00a0\u00a0 That\u2019s what most people call me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAlright, Bill,\u201d Jonathan said with a smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTo answer to your question, I\u2019ve heard your father\u2019s name come up in the course of a conversation or two, but I\u2019ve never met him.\u201d<\/p>\n Bill closed his eyes and exhaled a long, slow sigh of relief.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou been in Virginia City long?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI arrived a couple of days ago,\u201d Jonathan replied.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere are you staying?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRight now I\u2019m living and working at a big spread called Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBen Cartwright\u2019s place.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Jonathan nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou a friend of his?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know Mister Cartwright, but I can\u2019t rightly say he and I are friends,\u201d Bill replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI went to school with his youngest son.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen you\u2019re a friend of JOE\u2019S.\u201d<\/p>\n Bill wearily shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re civil to one another . . . barely, a miracle in and of itself actually, given the animosity between us when we were kids.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou still living in Virginia City?\u201d Jonathan asked.<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d Bill shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMy home\u2019s back east now, in Boston.\u00a0\u00a0 I came back to Virginia City to . . . visit a . . . a very good friend of m-mine . . . only to find out she\u2019s dead.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m very sorry to hear that,\u201d Jonathan said, every sense suddenly on the alert.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWho\u2019s your friend, if you don\u2019t mind me asking . . . . ?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHer name\u2019s Lotus O\u2019Toole,\u201d Bill\u2019s voice broke heart wrenchingly when he spoke her name.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s why I\u2019ve come,\u201d the words tumbled out one after the other.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI heard that her funeral was going to be held here day after tomorrow.\u00a0\u00a0 I wanted to know what time.\u201d<\/p>\n Something in the way he spoke Miss O\u2019Toole\u2019s name coupled with a deep-seated grief bordering on the edge of utter despair, caught and held Jonathan\u2019s attention in an ironclad, vice like grip.\u00a0\u00a0 He studied the distressed young man seated before him.\u00a0\u00a0 The shape of the eyes, nose, and face, the big hands with long fingers . . .\u00a0 revelation collapsed upon Jonathan like a brick wall tumbling to the ground.\u00a0\u00a0 He was standing face to face with none other than Timmy O\u2019Toole\u2019s father.<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n \u201cStacy Rose Cartwright, you\u2019re a very lucky young woman,\u201d Doctor Paul Martin castigated his young patient severely, \u201ceven if that burst of temper WAS justified.\u201d<\/p>\n He and Ben were upstairs with the patient in her bedroom.\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy sat very stiffly on the edge of her bed, feeling sorer than ever, after the doctor had finished his poking and prodding.<\/p>\n \u201cDoes that mean everything\u2019s all right?\u201d Ben asked anxiously.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Ben,\u201d Paul responded in a kindlier tone.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat means everything\u2019s all right.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank goodness,\u201d Ben exhaled an audible sigh of relief.<\/p>\n \u201cAs for YOU, Stacy, I have one word,\u201d Paul said sternly, \u201crest!\u00a0\u00a0 No more angry outbursts like that no matter HOW justified, and I don\u2019t want you to set foot outside this house for another week, at the very least.\u00a0\u00a0 Is THAT clear?\u201d<\/p>\n Stacy\u2019s face fell.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cY-you mean . . . I can\u2019t go to Miss O\u2019Toole\u2019s funeral?!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou may, IF you ride in the buggy, and IF you don\u2019t set foot outside this house the rest of the time,\u201d Paul said severely.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDo I have your word on that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Doctor Martin,\u201d Stacy promised contritely.<\/p>\n \u201cStacy, why don\u2019t you lie down and rest . . . maybe even take a nap?\u201d Ben suggested.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll call you for supper.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAlright, Pa,\u201d she agreed with uncharacteristic meekness.<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n \u201cThanks again for coming out, Paul,\u201d Ben said gratefully, as they made their way down the stairs.<\/p>\n \u201cAny time, Ben,\u201d Paul said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTo be honest, when Jonathan told me about her hurling that box across the barn, I was somewhat concerned.\u00a0\u00a0 Thankfully, everything\u2019s alright.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAmen to that!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cKeep giving her the pills an hour before bedtime,\u201d Paul moved into his litany of instructions, \u201cand tell Hop Sing he can keep giving her those unholy herbal brews at his discretion.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben smiled, as they stepped through the front door. \u00a0\u00a0\u201cThat tea Hop Sing gives Stacy may smell like a pole cat that\u2019s just let loose, to quote my middle son, but it DOES seem to bring her a measure of relief.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s good,\u201d Paul said approvingly, \u201con the other hand, however, there\u2019s nothing like a healthy dose of agony to enforce convalescence.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI hope you don\u2019t take this the wrong way, Ben, but that daughter of yours is enough to try the patience of a saint whenever she\u2019s sick or injured.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben chucked.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI CAN\u201dT take that the wrong way, Paul, because I know it\u2019s true,\u201d he said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOf course, as Roy Coffee was so kind to point out to me yesterday, Adam, Hoss, Joe, and I aren\u2019t any better.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s very true, also,\u201d Paul agreed wholeheartedly.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks a lot,\u201d Ben laughed out loud.<\/p>\n The two men paused next to the physician\u2019s buggy.<\/p>\n \u201cBen,\u201d the doctor said, taking great care to lower his voice, \u201cany idea what\u2019s going to happen to Timmy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, Hoss told me earlier this after noon that he wants to adopt Timmy,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n \u201cReally?\u201d the doctor queried in surprise.\u00a0\u00a0 He fell silent, mulling over this piece of news, while he hefted his black bag onto the floor of the buggy.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell . . . the pair of \u2018em have certainly been inseparable since Miss O\u2019Toole died, and I think Hoss would make a fine father, Ben,\u201d the doctor said slowly, thoughtfully.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d be pretty hard pressed to name a more kind, gentle, loving, and caring individual, man OR woman, than your son, Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben smiled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s all very true,\u201d he agreed.<\/p>\n \u201c . . . and when it comes to learning how to be a father, Hoss has had one of the best teachers I know,\u201d Paul added with a smile.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, Paul,\u201d Ben said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCan you do me a favor?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSure, Ben.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cKeep it under your hat for the time being,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHoss hasn\u2019t as yet broached the matter with Timmy, and we\u2019ve certainly not told the rest of the family.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGotcha, Ben, mum\u2019s the word.\u201d<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n Chapter 9<\/p>\n The day set for Lotus O\u2019Toole\u2019s funeral observances dawned bright and sunny.\u00a0\u00a0 The sky overhead was a brilliant azure hue, and the autumn air clean and crisp.\u00a0\u00a0 Outside Virginia City, the aspens and cottonwoods colored the landscape with their brilliant yellow leaves, shimmering like gold dust when the occasional breeze wafted through their leaves.\u00a0\u00a0 The thin, gossamer cirrus clouds veiling the horizon and the scent of snow carried on the winds warned those knowledgeable in reading the signs of coming weather that winter would come early this year.<\/p>\n The Martins\u2019 formal parlor was filled with mourners crowded around the closed coffin holding the remains of Lotus O\u2019Toole.\u00a0\u00a0 They included Timmy O\u2019Toole, Paul and Lily Martin, the entire Cartwright Family including Hop Sing, Miss Tess, Francis O\u2019Hanlan and his daughter, Molly, all of the people who worked at the Silver Dollar Saloon, and Sheriff Roy Coffee.\u00a0\u00a0 Jenna Wilkes Cantrell and her husband were also present, both of them having arrived from Carson City the night before that she might pay her last respects to Lotus O\u2019Toole.\u00a0\u00a0 Clarissa Starling Wilson was also there.\u00a0\u00a0 Classes at the school were canceled for the day, and the Silver Dollar Saloon closed until tomorrow night.<\/p>\n Joe Cartwright and Sally Tyler stood together, side by side, at the head of the coffin.\u00a0\u00a0 Sally, with head bowed, dabbed her eyes frequently with a white linen handkerchief.\u00a0\u00a0 Clad in a tailored navy blue suit, with matching pillbox hat and gloves, and a plain white linen blouse, she presented the classic image of matronly respectability, a far cry from the bubbly, flirtatious, party girl demeanor she presented every night at the Silver Dollar Saloon.\u00a0\u00a0 Joe, his posture ramrod straight and hands clasped tightly in front of him, scanned the sea of faces, gathered in the Martins\u2019 parlor, all turned toward him expectantly.\u00a0\u00a0 The weariness, shock, and grief were all readily apparent in his face.\u00a0\u00a0 Timmy O\u2019Toole, dressed in his best pair of slacks and a freshly laundered, pressed white shirt stood on Joe\u2019s right, sandwiched between Hoss and Miss Tess, stubbornly trying to hold back his tears.<\/p>\n Joe Cartwright turned toward Sally and Sam, standing at the latter\u2019s left.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI just heard the mantle clock strike ten,\u201d he said in a low voice.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAre you expecting anyone else, Sam?\u201d<\/p>\n The big, beefy bartender shook his head, unable to speak.<\/p>\n \u201cI guess we might as well get started,\u201d Joe said slowly, with much reluctance.<\/p>\n Sam nodded.<\/p>\n Joe looked up, making eye contact with his father, standing at the foot of the coffin, with open Bible in hand.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPa . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n Ben nodded, and began to read, \u201cThough I speak with the tongues of men and angels . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n There was a knock at the front door.<\/p>\n \u201cExcuse me, I\u2019ll see who it is,\u201d Paul Martin said quickly.\u00a0\u00a0 He stepped out of the parlor and hurried to the door, praying the caller without hadn\u2019t come with a medical emergency.\u00a0\u00a0 He opened the door, and found William Caine, Junior, standing there, his face red and swollen from weeping.<\/p>\n \u201cS-sorry I\u2019m late, Doctor M-Martin,\u201d the young man hastily stammered out an apology.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMay I . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, by all means, come in,\u201d Paul Martin said quickly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re just getting started.\u201d<\/p>\n Bill entered and followed Paul into the parlor, taking his place behind the doctor and his wife.<\/p>\n Joe watched his once and former classmate enter through eyes round with shock and astonishment.\u00a0\u00a0 For one brief, terrifying moment, he thought for sure he was going to faint.\u00a0\u00a0 The sound of his father softly, yet pointedly, clearing his throat, served to steady him.<\/p>\n \u201c \u2018Though I speak with the tongues of men and angels, but have not love, I have become as sounding brass or a clanging cymbal,\u2019 \u201d Ben began to read again from Paul\u2019s first letter to the Corinthians the well known passage about love.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c \u2018Though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.\u2019 \u201d<\/p>\n Stacy, standing beside her father, on his left, bowed her head and bit her lip, as her own tears began to flow freely down her cheeks.\u00a0\u00a0 It hadn\u2019t been so long ago her father had read those same words, at the request of herself and brother, Hoss, at the funeral of Miss Paris McKenna, her own mother.\u00a0\u00a0 Francis O\u2019Hanlan handed Stacy a handkerchief, while placing a comforting arm about the shoulders of his own daughter, Molly, now weeping openly.\u00a0\u00a0 Molly turned, burying her head against the comforting strength of her father\u2019s shoulder.<\/p>\n \u201c \u2018Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing,\u2019 \u201d Ben continued, his deep bass voice caressing the words of the well beloved passage.<\/p>\n A tiny, bare hint of a smile tugged at the corner of Tess\u2019 mouth.\u00a0\u00a0 She had never heard those words spoken with such quiet, passionate conviction before, not even from the fellow who first penned them.<\/p>\n \u201c \u2018Love suffers long and is kind,\u2019 \u201d Ben continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c \u2018Love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth.\u00a0\u00a0 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.\u00a0\u00a0 Love never fails.\u2019 \u201d [i]<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve known Lotus O\u2019Toole since the day the two of us started first grade at the school here in Virginia City,\u201d Joe began.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe were best friends right from the start.\u00a0\u00a0 She was really a true friend.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019d be hard pressed to name any friend I\u2019ve had before or since who was more steadfast and loyal.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He fell silent, surprised by the sudden onslaught of unshed tears stinging his eyes.\u00a0\u00a0 He had cried so much in the past three days since Lotus O\u2019Toole died, he honestly thought there were no more tears left in him to shed.<\/p>\n Joe swallowed, then took a deep, ragged breath.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI had m-my f-father read that passage just now . . . that p-passage usually r-r-read at . . . at weddings,\u201d he continued, his voice breaking, \u201cbecause . . . because Lotus O\u2019Toole was one of the m-most loving and g-generous . . . p-people . . . it-s ever been my privilege t-to . . . to know . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n Ben, with his Bible tucked under one arm and the other around Stacy\u2019s shoulders, gazed at his youngest son intently and lovingly, trying to will some of his own strength into Joe, that the latter might be able to finish.<\/p>\n Hoss reached over and gently placed his hand on his younger brother\u2019s shoulder.\u00a0\u00a0 Joe slowly turned, his hazel eyes meeting his big brother\u2019s blue ones.\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss flashed him a quick, reassuring smile.<\/p>\n Joe swallowed and forced himself to continue.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI r-remember reading about a . . . a . . . b-birth day party for . . . it was f-for Timmy . . . h-his first . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 With a strangled cry, he turned away unable to continue.\u00a0\u00a0 He would have almost certainly bolted from the room had it not been to Tess\u2019 gentle, restraining hand.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can do it, Baby,\u201d Tess said softly, her serene black eyes meeting the sadness and raw grief in his.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJust take a deep breath and speak from the heart.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe, his eyes riveted to Tess\u2019 face, took a long, slow, deep breath, and continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI was reading the other night about Timmy\u2019s first birthday party,\u201d his voice was strong and steady.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt was an entry in her diary, written in a secret language that Lotus and I made up when we were kids.\u00a0\u00a0 She marveled at the way everyone at the party was so enamored . . . so taken with Timmy.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Joe looked over at the boy and smiled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI think one reason everyone loved Timmy was because we had all loved his ma first.\u201d<\/p>\n Jenna Cantrell buried her face in the handkerchief she held in both hands and began to sob anew.\u00a0\u00a0 Her husband placed a comforting arm about her waist, and hugged her close.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll always remember Lotus O\u2019Toole for her sense of fun and adventure when we were kids,\u201d Joe continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOnce, I think we were in fourth grade, Lotus and I decided to make careers for ourselves as pirates.\u00a0\u00a0 With HER as captain, and me as first mate, we planned to loot enemy merchant ships of their treasure and bury it where the shores of Lake Tahoe cut through the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n Timmy\u2019s eyes, shining with awe and excitement, were fixed on Joe\u2019s face, as he related the story.\u00a0\u00a0 This was a side of his mother he never dreamed existed.<\/p>\n \u201cCaptain Lotus and First Mate Joe put together a raft and launched it on its maiden voyage,\u201d Joe continued, with a sad wistful smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAbout ten feet from shore, our raft came apart.\u00a0\u00a0 We didn\u2019t properly secure the logs together.\u00a0\u00a0 We swam back to shore and instead of becoming the scourge of Lake Tahoe, we ended up being confined to our rooms for a week . . . and for the better part of that week Lotus and I didn\u2019t do very much sitting, either.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe\u2019s story brought smiles along with tears to the faces among many of the people present, most notably Miss Tess.<\/p>\n \u201cLotus and I were constantly getting into mischief . . . ending up in one scrape after another,\u201d Joe said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat one of us DIDN\u2019T think up, the other DID.\u00a0\u00a0 Lotus\u2019 grandmother was always shaking her head, warning us that we worked our guardian angels overtime.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou sure did, Joe,\u201d<\/em> Tess agreed silently.\u00a0\u00a0 All eight of them took a long sabbatical from the guardian end of things the minute Joe Cartwright and Lotus O\u2019Toole entered adolescence and disdainfully put the misadventures of childhood behind them.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll also remember her as a loving mother joyfully welcoming Timmy into the world,\u201d Joe continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe worked hard to provide for him, but I can safely say that everyone who knew Lotus O\u2019Toole knew that hard work was truly a labor of love undertaken with joy.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe\u2019s nostalgic, sad smile faded into a mask of deep, profound grief and regret.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLotus was also a proud, stubborn woman determined to make her own way in the w-world . . . and provide th-the best she could . . . for Timmy,\u201d his voice wavered.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe . . . she couldn\u2019t buy Timmy a l-lot of the t-toys . . . and f-fancy clothes a lot of kids take for granted . . . but the things she c-could and . . . and did provide . . . love, encouragement . . . r-respect, a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on . . . arms to hug . . . .\u00a0\u00a0 Those are the most important things a mother . . . or father, for that matter,\u201d he looked up, his eyes meeting his father\u2019s, \u201ccan give a ch-child.\u00a0\u00a0 Lotus was n-not only wealthy beyond measure in all those things, she freely and g-generously gave of those . . . those things to her son.\u201d<\/p>\n Sally Tyler, with tears streaming down her own face, turned and put her arms around Joe, now sobbing openly.\u00a0\u00a0 She held him for a long moment, then turned to speak her piece.\u00a0\u00a0 Like Joe, she, too, would always remember Lotus O\u2019Toole as a loving parent, who, though she doted on Timmy, expected a great deal from him as well, effectively striking that difficult balance between love and discipline.\u00a0\u00a0 She also spoke of Lotus O\u2019Toole\u2019s generosity.<\/p>\n When Sally finished speaking, Molly O\u2019Hanlan, holding tight to her father\u2019s hand, wept openly as she told the others how important it was to Miss O\u2019Toole that Timmy get the best education he possibly could, how proud she was of her son\u2019s class work, and how his eagerness to learn never ceased to delight her.\u00a0\u00a0 Sam, his posture stiffly erect, his hands tightly clasped in front of him, praised her loyalty, steadfastness, and reliability, not only as an employee, but as a friend, as tears freely rolled from his eyes and down his cheeks.\u00a0\u00a0 Others followed, one by one, sharing their own precious memories of Lotus O\u2019Toole, until at long last, words faded gracefully to respectful silence, punctuated only by the occasional soft hiccupping sound of someone weeping.<\/p>\n After observing a time of silence, the six pallbearers, which included Sam, Hoss, and Joe, moved with one accord, without prompting, to surround the coffin.\u00a0\u00a0 Paul Martin quickly and noiselessly moved to open the necessary doors.\u00a0\u00a0 The pallbearers carried the coffin from the doctor\u2019s house to the buckboard waiting in front of the doctor\u2019s house.\u00a0 Hoss climbed up first, and took hold of the reins.\u00a0\u00a0 Joe handed Timmy up to his brother, then turned to help Miss Tess, then Sally Tyler into the back seat.\u00a0\u00a0 Sam climbed up and sat down in the back seat next to Sally.\u00a0\u00a0 Joe climbed up last, and settled himself in the front seat beside Timmy.\u00a0\u00a0 The other mourners got into their buggies, up on buckboards, or in the saddle for the ride out to the cemetery, a few miles outside of town.<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I went to see Timmy the day after his mother died, I told him that God has a special place in His Heart and in Heaven for people like his mother,\u201d Tess spoke in a clear voice to the mourners encircling the freshly opened grave.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAfter hearing the eulogies so warmly and lovingly offered by Joe Cartwright and Sally Tyler, along with the memories the rest of you cherish, I am more convinced of that than ever.\u00a0\u00a0 Lotus O\u2019Toole is in Heaven, basking in the warm radiant love of God.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She paused to allow the people assembled to begin digesting those words.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI think we need to know that God loves all of us, too, who miss Lotus O\u2019Toole, and find ourselves deeply shocked and saddened by her passing.\u00a0\u00a0 God\u2019s love and strength WILL see all of us through this time of grief and mourning to that place of healing.\u00a0 All WE need to do is let him.\u201d<\/p>\n There was a brief time of silence, as the coffin was carefully lowered into the earth.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben Cartwright read the Twenty-Third Psalm, concluding the funeral rituals.<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n Breakfast in the Cartwright household the following morning was subdued.\u00a0 Ben and Joe had a good appetite, and Hoss ate with his usual relish.\u00a0\u00a0 Timmy, his face pale and eyes red from crying, clearly had no appetite for food this morning.\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy had come downstairs, late for breakfast, her agony worse than it had ever been.\u00a0\u00a0 Not even Hop Sing\u2019s homemade herbal teas could bring her any kind of relief.<\/p>\n \u201cPa?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Stacy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI . . . I can\u2019t eat another . . . thing,\u201d she said haltingly, wincing on every word.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCan I . . . can I go out t-to the b-b-barn and . . . and see B-Blaze Face?\u201d<\/p>\n Ben looked over at his daughter incredulously, for a moment, as if she had suddenly sprouted a magnificent pair of green antlers.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Stacy, but you promised Doctor Martin you wouldn\u2019t set foot outside this house, remember?\u201d he said, wincing inwardly each time she drew breath.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d . . . forgotten,\u201d Stacy groaned.<\/p>\n \u201cWould you like to go back to bed for awhile?\u201d Ben asked gently.<\/p>\n Stacy nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cM-may I . . . may I b-be excused?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGo ahead up,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll look in on you later.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy rose from her chair with agonizing slowness and made her way toward the stairs.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJoe?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, Pa?\u201d Joe responded in a quiet, weary tone.<\/p>\n \u201cWere you planning on going into town today?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Joe replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI thought I\u2019d go ahead and pick up the mail, and run a few errands.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWould you mind doing a couple of things for me?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot at all, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFirst of all, I have money in the safe that needs to be deposited in the bank,\u201d Ben replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSecond, would you please stop by Doc Martin\u2019s office and ask whether or not I can give Stacy one of those pills in the day time . . . at least for the next couple of days.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSure,\u201d Joe finished the last of his coffee, and rose.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d better get moving.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSee you later, Son,\u201d Ben said by way of parting.<\/p>\n \u201cCome on, Timmy, how \u2018bout another piece o\u2019 that bacon?\u201d Hoss coaxed.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, thank you, Mister Hoss,\u201d Timmy said softly, shaking his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not hungry.\u00a0\u00a0 Can I be excused?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTimmy, how about we take a walk out to the barn?\u201d Hoss suggested.<\/p>\n \u201cOk,\u201d Timmy agreed readily enough, but without much enthusiasm.<\/p>\n Timmy and Hoss left the table and walked together in silence out to the barn.\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss opened the door, and gestured for the boy to enter.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s sit down over here,\u201d Hoss said quietly, pointing the bale of hay near the stall occupied by Blaze Face.\u00a0\u00a0 Timmy let Hoss take him by the hand, following along meekly, without a word.\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss sat down first, then patted the vacant space.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou set yourself down right here,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Timmy obeyed.<\/p>\n \u201cTimmy, I know something\u2019s botherin\u2019 you,\u201d Hoss said kindly, coming straight to the point.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI thought maybe you an\u2019 I could talk about it here, just us, man to man.\u201d<\/p>\n Timmy suddenly burst into tears.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cM-Mister Hoss . . . what\u2019s g-gonna happen t-to m-m-me?\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss put his arms around the distraught boy, and hugged him close.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe talked a little about that the other day, Timmy,\u201d he said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDo you remember?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI . . . I remember you asking me if . . . if I wanted to live h-here . . . at the Ponderosa,\u201d Timmy sobbed.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you still want to?\u201d<\/p>\n Timmy lifted his head and gazed up at Hoss in astonished bewilderment.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cC-can I?\u201d he ventured very hesitantly in a very small voice.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, you can, if you want to,\u201d Hoss replied.<\/p>\n \u201cI DO want to live here, Mister Hoss, more \u2018n just about anything,\u201d the boy declared.\u00a0\u00a0 He impulsively turned and threw his small arms about Hoss\u2019 ample girth.<\/p>\n \u201cI want you to live here, too, Timmy,\u201d Hoss said with a smile, \u201cmore \u2018n just about anything.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He paused.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d like to ask you about something else, too.\u201d<\/p>\n Timmy raised his head once again, his dark eyes meeting Hoss\u2019 blue ones.<\/p>\n \u201cI know you never got to know your real pa,\u201d Hoss said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou told me before that your ma said he couldn\u2019t be with the two o\u2019 you.\u201d<\/p>\n Timmy nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cTimmy,\u201d Hoss said, \u201csince your ma can\u2019t be with ya now, either, how would you feel about . . . well, about havin\u2019 ME as your pa?\u201d<\/p>\n Timmy gazed up at Hoss too overwhelmed to speak.<\/p>\n \u201cI know this is a bit sudden,\u201d Hoss said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf ya need to think it over . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, Mister Hoss, I don\u2019t need to think it over,\u201d the words suddenly poured from his mouth in a rush.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCan you really be my pa?\u00a0\u00a0 Really?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYep,\u201d Hoss replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI can adopt you.\u00a0\u00a0 That would make you m\u2019 son and me your pa.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat about YOUR pa?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019d be your GRANDPA, Timmy,\u201d Hoss replied.<\/p>\n \u201cI . . . I never had a grandpa before,\u201d Timmy said, his voice filled with awe and wonder.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMa used to talk about HER grandma and grandpa . . . .\u00a0\u00a0 What about Stacy and Mister Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019d be your aunt \u2018n uncle,\u201d Hoss replied.<\/p>\n \u201cNot even MA had an aunt and uncle,\u201d the boy exclaimed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWould Stacy still teach me how to ride?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe can HELP teach you to ride, Timmy,\u201d Hoss replied, \u201cbut, if I\u2019m gonna be your pa, teachin\u2019 you t\u2019 ride \u2018d be MY job.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Mister Hoss,\u201d Timmy turned and hugged Hoss again.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI want you to be my pa, even more \u2018n I want to live on the Ponderosa.\u00a0\u00a0 Will I still go to school?\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss grinned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYer durn tootin\u2019,\u201d he said firmly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat was somethin\u2019 your ma always wanted for ya, an\u2019 I mean to see to it!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhen can you . . . what\u2019s the word again, Mister Hoss?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAdopt.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhen can you adopt me, Mister Hoss?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSeein\u2019 as how you want me to be your pa, I\u2019ll be goin\u2019 to our lawyer in Virginia City an\u2019 askin\u2019 him to send out letters t\u2019 different places to make sure your ma didn\u2019t have any other kin,\u201d Hoss explained.<\/p>\n \u201cEven if she didn\u2019t?\u201d Timmy asked.<\/p>\n \u201cMister Milburn, our lawyer, has t\u2019 make sure, Timmy,\u201d Hoss said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s the law.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh,\u201d Timmy accepted this.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHow long before he knows?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow ever long it take him t\u2019 get replies back,\u201d Hoss replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt could be up to a year, maybe even a little more.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMister Hoss?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, Timmy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCan I start callin\u2019 you pa NOW?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n \u201cYou want to start callin\u2019 me pa?\u201d<\/p>\n Timmy nodded eagerly.<\/p>\n \u201cThen you can start callin\u2019 me pa.\u201d<\/p>\n Timmy rose and threw his arms around Hoss\u2019 neck with gleeful, childish abandon.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI love you, Pa,\u201d he declared.<\/p>\n \u201cI love you, too, Timmy.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss, feeling the sting of tears in his eyes, put his arm around the boy and hugged him close.\u00a0\u00a0 For a fleeting moment, he wondered if his own father had felt this way the first time he held his brothers and himself as babies, and the first time he met Stacy at Fort Charlotte.<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n Chapter 10<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Joe, tell your pa to give Stacy a whole pill this afternoon, and a half a pill at bedtime,\u201d Paul Martin said gravely.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTomorrow and the next day, he can give her a whole pill at breakfast and another whole pill right after supper.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think I\u2019d better write this down,\u201d Joe said.<\/p>\n The doctor picked up a pencil and a pad of paper from his desk.\u00a0\u00a0 He jotted down his instructions, taking great care to keep his writing legible.\u00a0\u00a0 Lily had been teasing him about that a great deal of late.\u00a0\u00a0 He tore off the top sheet and passed it to Joe.<\/p>\n Joe accepted the sheet of paper and cast a cursory glance over the instructions.<\/p>\n \u201cAny questions?\u201d<\/p>\n Joe shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cEverything\u2019s perfectly clear, Doctor,\u201d he said, folding the sheet in half and slipping it inside the inner pocket of his green leather jacket.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI was wondering, however . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes?\u201d Paul prompted.<\/p>\n \u201cI woke up this morning feeling tired,\u201d Joe said.\u00a0\u00a0 An anxious frown knotted his brow.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI went to bed early last night, and slept well enough, yet this morning, I wake up feeling more tired than I can remember feeling in my entire life.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEver since you, your pa, and that new guy . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJonathan.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Jonathan,\u201d Paul repeated the name.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cEver since the three of you found Miss O\u2019Toole, cared for her, arranged and carried out her funeral and burial observances . . . you and your pa BOTH have been running around like chickens with your heads cut off.\u00a0\u00a0 The Caine boy kicking Stacy in the rib cage didn\u2019t help matters any either.\u00a0\u00a0 All that, plus the fact that you and Miss O\u2019Toole have been friends for a long time . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He paused.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNow that the funeral\u2019s over, all the grief, the stress, the weariness is catching up with you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI guess that makes sense,\u201d Joe said slowly.<\/p>\n \u201cGive yourself another day or so, Joe,\u201d the doctor said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf you\u2019re still feeling tired, come back and see me.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ll give you a full and complete once over.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI will, Doc,\u201d Joe said, feeling a measure of relief.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m going to give you a few extra pills for Stacy,\u201d Paul said.\u00a0\u00a0 He counted out three and placed them in a glass container.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks again, Doc,\u201d Joe slipped the container with pills in the inside pocket of his jacket.\u00a0\u00a0 He paid for the extra medication and stepped out onto the street, nearly colliding into William Caine, Junior.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cExcuse me, I . . . . \u201d he scowled, his words fading into a strained silence.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell, better late than never, I suppose,\u201d Joe said bitterly, through clenched teeth.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s THAT supposed to mean?\u201d Bill demanded indignantly.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s supposed to mean you had a heck of a nerve showing your face at her funeral,\u201d Joe declared, his mouth and jaw tightening with anger.<\/p>\n \u201cNothing\u2019s changed since elementary school, has it?\u201d Bill said rancorously.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThere you are one of the high and mighty Cartwrights perched upon your golden throne looking down your long nose at everyone else, sitting in judgment.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou ran out on her,\u201d Joe charged, his fury rising.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe loved you and YOU ran out on her.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI went to Boston to attend Harvard,\u201d Bill said, his own anger rising in tandem with Joe\u2019s.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI couldn\u2019t see her the night before I left, but I sent word that I was leaving.\u00a0\u00a0 I asked her to meet me at the stage depot the next morning, an hour before the stage left.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI can tell you for a fact that Lotus never got your supposed message,\u201d Joe said.\u00a0\u00a0 It took every ounce of will he possessed to keep from knocking Bill Caine down, and beating his face to a pulp.<\/p>\n Bill Caine had no such reservations.\u00a0\u00a0 He balled his fist and lashed out striking Joe as hard as he could.\u00a0\u00a0 The force of his blow sent the youngest Cartwright son off the wood sidewalk into the street.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI won\u2019t tolerate ANYONE calling me a liar, even if he is one of the great and mighty Cartwrights,\u201d he spat.<\/p>\n People out on the street scurried well away, giving Joe Cartwright and Bill Caine Junior wide birth.\u00a0\u00a0 One lean and lanky young man bolted down the street and around the corner toward the sheriff\u2019s office.<\/p>\n Joe rose to his feet.\u00a0\u00a0 He stood, wavering, then with a cry of raw fury mixed with agony he charged his opponent.\u00a0\u00a0 Before Bill could even think of moving or reacting, Joe\u2019s strong, muscular arms were wrapped around his waist in a painful vice-like grip.\u00a0\u00a0 Bill reeled backwards crashing hard into the nearest wall before collapsing to the sidewalk.\u00a0\u00a0 Joe, having landed on top of his opponent, was first to recover.\u00a0\u00a0 Grabbing a fistful of clothing, he roughly hauled Bill Caine to his feet and followed through, his fist connecting hard with the other man\u2019s right cheek.\u00a0\u00a0 Bill fell into the hitching post on the street.\u00a0\u00a0 The force of his body broke the cross beam in two.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat was for Lotus AND for what your bully boy little brother did to my sister,\u201d Joe shouted.<\/p>\n \u201cAlright, BOTH of ya, break it up!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 It was Sheriff Coffee.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was self defense on MY part, Sheriff,\u201d Joe said, glaring at his antagonist.<\/p>\n Bill Caine scrambled to his feet and stepped menacingly toward Joe.<\/p>\n \u201cOne more step, Bill Caine, an\u2019 I\u2019m runnin\u2019 you in,\u201d Roy said severely, glaring at both combatants.<\/p>\n Bill exhaled an audible sigh of exasperation, but stayed where he was.<\/p>\n \u201cNow I want the both of you to g\u2019won about your business,\u201d Roy ordered.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf there\u2019s any more trouble outta either one o\u2019 ya, I\u2019m throwing your sorry asses in jail.\u00a0\u00a0 Do I make myself clear?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Sheriff,\u201d Joe said sullenly.<\/p>\n Bill Caine replied with a curt nod.<\/p>\n The sound of gunfire, shattering glass, and riotous shouting immediately caught the attention of the sheriff, the two combatants, and everyone else on the street.<\/p>\n Joe frowned, his altercation with Bill Caine all but forgotten.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat sounds like it\u2019s coming from the Silver Dollar,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Roy\u00a0 Coffee set off down the street at a dead run.\u00a0\u00a0 Joe Cartwright and Bill Caine exchanged glances, then took off after the sheriff.\u00a0\u00a0 Rounding the corner a block later, the three men stared in shocked horror at the scene awaiting them.\u00a0\u00a0 A half dozen masked men on horses rode up and down in front of the street in front of the Silver Dollar Saloon, taking pot shots at the already shattered windows and any passerby fool hardy enough to come out from under cover.\u00a0\u00a0 All six of them whooped and hollered uproariously.<\/p>\n One man chug-a-lugged the remaining whiskey from the bottle in hand and lobbed it through the air in the general direction of the sheriff.\u00a0\u00a0 He missed by a wide mile, his aim heavily influenced by his obviously intoxicated state.\u00a0\u00a0 He laughed and reached for his gun.\u00a0\u00a0 Gritting his teeth, Roy drew first, nicking the man\u2019s wrist.\u00a0\u00a0 The gun dropped out of his hand.\u00a0\u00a0 The man reeled, thrown off balance in large part due to his inebriated state, then toppled right off the saddle.\u00a0\u00a0 Roy and Bill moved toward the fallen man, while one of the remaining men on horse back rode through the swinging doors into the saloon.\u00a0\u00a0 Joe followed.<\/p>\n Inside the man, clad all in black with a red bandanna over the lower portion of his face rode through the saloon using the bottles carefully lined up behind the bar for target practice.<\/p>\n Joe entered behind him, his own gun in hand and ready.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHold it right there!\u201d he ordered tersely.<\/p>\n The man turned, laughing uproariously, and took aim at Joe\u2019s head.<\/p>\n Joe fired first, branding the man\u2019s right forearm.<\/p>\n The man howled in pain as the fingers of his right hand automatically went limp.\u00a0\u00a0 His gun easily slipped from his hand and fell onto the floor.\u00a0\u00a0 At the same time, he dropped the reins he had clasped so tightly less than a moment before and slapped his left hand over the superficial wound left by the bullet from Joe\u2019s gun.<\/p>\n \u201cNow you\u2019re going to do WHAT I say . . . WHEN I tell ya to do it,\u201d Joe stated through clenched teeth, favoring the man still on horseback with a dark, murderous glare.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOne wrong move . . . . \u201d he gently, yet very pointedly caressed the trigger for emphasis.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNow get down off that horse and keep your hands right there in front of you where I can see \u2018em.\u201d<\/p>\n The man complied.\u00a0\u00a0 The instant both feet touched terra firma, he pivoted and slapped the left rear flank of his horse, then bolted for the door.\u00a0\u00a0 The horse moved forward, coming between Joe and its rider.\u00a0 The man quickly grabbed hold one of the chairs from on top of the table directly before him.\u00a0\u00a0 The instant the horse was clear, he hurled the chair, aiming for Joe\u2019s head.\u00a0\u00a0 Gritting his teeth, Joe barely moved in time to avoid being hit by the flying chair.\u00a0\u00a0 The man, once again seizing advantage of his opponent\u2019s distraction, left, grabbing Joe tightly about the waist.\u00a0\u00a0 Both men tumbled hard to the floor, with Joe bearing the brunt of the fall.<\/p>\n The man scrambled to his feet immediately, and followed through swinging his foot back with the intention of landing a good swift kick to Joe\u2019s rib cage.\u00a0\u00a0 Though dazed, Joe rolled, impelled by instinct, avoiding the intended blow.\u00a0\u00a0 He gritted his teeth and lashed out with his leg, catching the man squarely behind the knee while still off balance.\u00a0\u00a0 Bellowing in pain and outrage, the man toppled to the floor.\u00a0\u00a0 Joe rose and immediately hauled the man unceremoniously to his feet, following through with a hard left cross sending his opponent crashing into the bar and down for the count.<\/p>\n The soft, unmistakable sound of a rifle being cocked for firing froze Joe in his tracks.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t you dare move,\u201d a woman growled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHands up!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSally?!\u201d<\/p>\n Sally Tyler, standing half way down the stairs, with rifle in hand, lowered her weapon.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJoe?\u201d she said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJoe Cartwright, that really you?\u201d<\/p>\n Joe, keeping his hands raised, turned slowly.<\/p>\n \u201cThank God,\u201d she half sobbed.<\/p>\n A half dozen giant steps later, Joe was at Sally\u2019s side, his arms comfortingly around her.\u00a0\u00a0 Sally dropped her head down on Joe\u2019s shoulder and cried.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 It was Roy Coffee.<\/p>\n \u201cHere, Sheriff,\u201d Joe responded.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat the hell happened in here?\u201d Roy sputtered, getting a look at the ruined public room.\u00a0\u00a0 All of the whiskey bottles behind the bar had been shot, as had the mirror.\u00a0\u00a0 Shards of glass and silver generously littered the floor behind the bar, covered generously by the whiskey and brandy contained in the bottles.\u00a0\u00a0 The furniture had been strewn about the room.\u00a0\u00a0 Several chairs had been broken into piles now only good for kindling wood.\u00a0\u00a0 All that remained of the windows were jagged teeth of glass.<\/p>\n \u201cThey . . . they came in and . . . and shot the place up,\u201d Sally sobbed, grasping the rifle in one hand, and clinging to Joe for dear life with the other.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSam . . . Sam tried to . . . to fend \u2018em off . . . one of \u2018em . . . oh, Sheriff Coffee . . . one of \u2018em . . . one of \u2018em shot him . . . in the gut!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll fetch Doc Martin,\u201d Joe offered grimly.<\/p>\n Roy nodded curtly.\u00a0\u00a0 He stepped in and gently took Sally by the elbow, as Joe set off at a dead run to get the doctor.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhere\u2019s Sam now?\u201d the sheriff asked.<\/p>\n \u201cUpstairs,\u201d Sally wept.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThis way.\u201d<\/p>\n She led Roy up the steps to the room normally occupied by Laurie Lee Bonner.\u00a0\u00a0 Sam lay prone on the bed, barely conscious, his bloody shirt at the foot of his bed next to his feet.\u00a0\u00a0 Though Sally had cleaned and bandaged the wound to the abdomen as best she could, it continued to bleed with alarming profusion.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was just him an\u2019 me in here,\u201d Sally resumed her testimony.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cEveryone else got out, I\u2019m pretty sure.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She sank wearily onto the bed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI was in my room, when I heard all the ruckus.\u00a0\u00a0 When I came out, Sam was at the end of the hall, top of the steps, tryin\u2019 to fend off three of \u2018em runnin\u2019 up them steps lickity spit.\u00a0\u00a0 One of \u2018em shot \u2018im . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She began to cry once again.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI . . . I b-barely managed to . . . to drag S-S-Sam in here an\u2019 . . . an\u2019 lock the d-d-door . . . \u2018fore them y-yahoos got to the top o\u2019 the s-steps.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSheriff Coffee?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 It was Joe Cartwright calling from the public room down stairs.<\/p>\n Roy patted Sally\u2019s hand, then rose and went to the door.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cUp here, Joe,\u201d he yelled back.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou find Doc Martin?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m right here, Roy,\u201d the doctor yelled back.<\/p>\n Within less than a minute, Joe Cartwright and Doctor Paul Martin entered the room with Bill Caine following at their heels.\u00a0\u00a0 Sally, wiping her eyes against the palm of her hand, rose and moved aside, allowing the doctor access.\u00a0\u00a0 Paul crossed the room to the bed and sat down in the place vacated by Sally.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m going to need hot water and plenty of it,\u201d the doctor said tersely, \u201cand clean linens.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cS-Sheriff, is . . . is everything ok down stairs?\u201d Sally ventured hesitantly.<\/p>\n \u201cI got two o\u2019 them yahoos behind bars,\u201d the sheriff replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe others rode off.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen, I\u2019ll g-go start boilin\u2019 water,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll come with you,\u201d Bill Caine offered.<\/p>\n Sally nodded and led the way out of the room.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll see what I can scare up in the way of linens,\u201d Joe said.\u00a0\u00a0 He left the room, now occupied by Sam, and bounded across the hall to the room directly opposite.\u00a0\u00a0 He yanked sheets from the mattress and unceremoniously dumped pillows from pillowcases.\u00a0\u00a0 Rolling the bed linens together in a single mass, Joe tucked it under his arm and ran to the next room.<\/p>\n Bill Caine returned a short while later, carrying an enormous bowl of boiling hot water.<\/p>\n \u201cSet it on the night stand over here, would you?\u201d Paul said, inclining his head toward the piece of furniture in question.<\/p>\n \u201cSally\u2019s got plenty more on the stove downstairs,\u201d Bill said, as he carefully set the bowl down on the night stand at the doctor\u2019s right hand.<\/p>\n Doctor Martin quickly removed his surgical tools from his black bag and placed them into the bowl of hot water, carefully leaning them against the sides of the bowl.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve got plenty here that can be used as bandages,\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Joe announced tersely, upon his return with a generous armload of linens.\u00a0\u00a0 He piled them on a nearby dresser, then seized the sheet nearest the top of the pile and began tearing it into long narrow strips.<\/p>\n Roy Coffee quietly walked over and gave Joe a hand tearing the enormous pile of linens into much needed bandages.<\/p>\n \u201cI . . . know every blessed bottle o\u2019 whiskey was shot to pieces down in the bar room . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSam probably has a few spare bottles in his store room, Doc,\u201d Joe said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll g\u2019won down . . . see what I can scare up.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, Joe, you keep doing what you\u2019re doing,\u201d Bill said quickly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll fetch the whiskey.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He turned and bolted from the room, running as fast as he could.<\/p>\n \u201cRoy . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, Doc?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCan you assist?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSure thing, Doc.\u201d<\/p>\n The doctor removed his scissors from the bowl of still steaming hot water, and gently shook them to remove some of the excess water.\u00a0\u00a0 Roy took one of the long strips of material, one that a few moments before was a lace trimmed linen pillowcase belonging to Laurie Lee Bonner\u2019s linen pillowcase, and ripped it in half.\u00a0\u00a0 Crossing the room from the dresser, where Joe Cartwright stood ripping sheets into bandages, Roy deftly ripped the pieces in hand into smaller pieces, roughly the size of handkerchiefs.\u00a0\u00a0 Without a word, he thrust one of the small pieces of material almost directly into the doctor\u2019s line of vision.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks, Roy,\u201d Paul murmured, taking the proffered strip of linen from the sheriff.\u00a0 He quickly dried off the scissors and cut through the bandages, generously covered by brownish, port wine stains.<\/p>\n The worst of the bleeding appeared to have stopped.\u00a0\u00a0 Paul Martin silently offered a quick prayer of thanks, while gingerly easing off the dried, blood stained bandages, that Sally Tyler had applied earlier.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s taken two bullets,\u201d he said grimly, after a quick examination.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cRoy, would you hand me my probe?\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s the one with the round ivory handle.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShouldn\u2019t ya wait \u2018til Bill gits back wi\u2019 that whiskey?\u201d Roy asked, as he fished the requested instrument from the bowl.<\/p>\n Paul tersely shook his head and held out his hand.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSam\u2019s barely conscious now.\u00a0\u00a0 He\u2019d probably choke on the whiskey if I tried to give him some.\u201d<\/p>\n Roy quickly wiped the probe bone dry, then keeping the business end of the piece wrapped in the material he passed it over to the doctor.<\/p>\n With mouth set in a grim, determined line, Paul Martin, with a deft sureness borne of many years\u2019 experience, inserted the probe into what appeared to be the more shallow of the two wounds.\u00a0\u00a0 He found the bullet almost immediately.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cForceps, Roy,\u201d he snapped, \u201cthe small ones . . . they look like a giant pair of tweezers.\u201d<\/p>\n Roy quickly dried the forceps and slapped them into Paul Martin\u2019s outstretched hand.<\/p>\n \u201cSam, you\u2019re a lucky man,\u201d Paul mused silently as he extracted the bullet from the bartender\u2019s inert body.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAnother quarter of an inch . . . there wouldn\u2019t be a damn thing my poor skill could do for ya.\u201d<\/p>\n Roy, meanwhile, grabbed the fine porcelain ring dish sitting on the night table beside the bed and emptied the two rings it contained onto the table.\u00a0\u00a0 Again, without a word, he held the dainty piece, edged with tiny bas relief white and pink roses out to the doctor.<\/p>\n Paul silently and curtly nodded his thanks and dropped the grisly, blood stained bullet into the small dish.<\/p>\n Joe, seeing the potential need for bandages, silently grabbed a handful of the strips already torn and handed them to Roy.<\/p>\n Roy Coffee, in turn, passed the strips of material on to Doctor Martin, one piece at a time.\u00a0\u00a0 Paul bound the wound tight, hoping against hope to bring a quick end to blood once more oozing from the hold left by the bullet.\u00a0\u00a0 That done, he turned his attention to the second wound in the abdomen.<\/p>\n \u201cRoy, I need you to clean my probe.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGotcha, Doc.\u201d<\/p>\n Roy dipped one of the small pieces of cloth into the still steaming bowl of water, then used it to wipe the blood from the probe.\u00a0\u00a0 After cleaning off the piece, he placed it back into the water briefly, then wiped it dry.<\/p>\n Doctor Martin began the task of probing for the bullet in the second wound.<\/p>\n Bill Caine entered the room, with two unopened whiskey bottles in hand.\u00a0\u00a0 Sally Tyler followed close at his heels.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cFound these in the store room downstairs,\u201d the former said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThere\u2019s plenty more there if its needed.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThanks, Bill,\u201d Roy said softly, as he turned to face the younger man.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll take \u2018em.\u201d<\/p>\n Bill silently passed the whiskey bottles over to Roy, who, in turn placed them on the night table beside the bed.<\/p>\n \u201cSheriff Coffee?\u00a0\u00a0 H-how\u2019s . . . how\u2019s Sam doin\u2019?\u201d Sally ventured timidly.<\/p>\n Roy noted her pale, drawn face, and eyes round with shock, and apprehension.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSo far, so good, Miss Tyler,\u201d he said, offering her a small, encouraging smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDoc\u2019s already removed the first bullet.\u201d<\/p>\n Sally Tyler stood next to Bill Caine, with balled fists pressed close to her mouth, unmoving, every muscle in her body rigid.\u00a0\u00a0 Paul Martin, all intense focused concentration on the grim task at hand, continued probing for that second bullet.\u00a0\u00a0 Roy Coffee stood next to the doctor, his sharp eyes fixed on him, ready to anticipate whatever he might need next.\u00a0\u00a0 A strained silence fell with the gentle relentlessness of a descending fog, upon the disparate group of individuals assembled, broken occasionally by the soft sounds of rent fabric, in the able, strong hands of Joe Cartwright.<\/p>\n An eternity passed with dreadful slowness, followed seemingly by another, and yet another.<\/p>\n \u201cDammit!\u201d Paul swore under his breath, giving vent to his own mounting frustration and dread.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhere in the hell is it?\u201d<\/p>\n The doctor\u2019s words, though spoken softly, still broke the heavy silence like thunderclap passing directly overhead.\u00a0\u00a0 Sally, Bill, and even Joe started violently.<\/p>\n \u201cIf I can\u2019t find that second bullet . . . ah!\u00a0\u00a0 Got it!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 The doctor deftly removed the second bullet and tossed the bloody piece of metal onto the night table beside the bowl.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJoe, if you\u2019d be so kind as to start handing me bandages.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe grabbed two hands full of the strips he had already torn and circled around to the other side of the bed.<\/p>\n \u201cWhiskey!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cComin\u2019 up, Doc!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Roy grabbed one of the whiskey bottles from the night stand, opened it, then handed it to the doctor in a single fluid move.<\/p>\n Paul doused both wounds with whiskey, then set himself to the task of packing the second wound in an effort to staunch the alarming flow of blood.\u00a0\u00a0 Joe\u2019s initial supply of linen and cotton bandages quickly dwindled.\u00a0\u00a0 Sally immediately ran over to the dresser and grabbed most of the remaining strips of material and carried them over to Joe.\u00a0\u00a0 Bill quietly set himself to the task of converting the remaining bed linens into bandages.\u00a0\u00a0 At length, the bleeding began to taper off.\u00a0\u00a0 Exhaling a long, weary sigh of relief, Paul tightly bound up the wounds.<\/p>\n \u201cDoc, I got more water boilin\u2019 on the stove.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 It was Sally.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTom\u2019s downstairs watchin\u2019 it.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She looked down at the injured bartender, biting her lower lip.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDoc, is Sam . . . is he gonna be ok?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve got the slugs out,\u201d Paul replied, as he rose stiffly from the bed, \u201cand I think the worst of the bleeding has stopped.\u00a0\u00a0 The rest is up to him now.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He collapsed heavily into the nearest chair.<\/p>\n \u201cDoc?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Miss Tyler?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf \u2018n ya don\u2019t need me, I\u2019d kind like t\u2019 go an\u2019 lie down a minute . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat would be an excellent idea, Miss Tyler,\u201d Paul said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ve got a long night ahead of us.\u201d<\/p>\n Sally nodded and left the room.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, Doc?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWould you mind going back to my house and fetching my wife?\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019m going to need her help, but I can\u2019t leave Sam right now.<\/p>\n \u201cSure, Doc,\u201d Joe agreed, \u201cI\u2019ll be . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n His words were rudely cut off by a terrified, anguished scream.\u00a0\u00a0 Joe and Roy bolted from the room and ran down the hall toward Sally Tyler\u2019s room.\u00a0\u00a0 They found her sobbing in the center of the room.\u00a0\u00a0 Pictures had been removed from the walls, and thrown on the floor, their backs slit.\u00a0\u00a0 The dresser drawers had been pulled out and smashed, their contents strewn all over the room.\u00a0\u00a0 All of the bed linens had been pulled off the bed, along with the mattress and pillows.\u00a0\u00a0 The mattress lay half on the bed frame and half on the floor.\u00a0\u00a0 Its cover had been slashed open and it\u2019s stuffing pulled out and discarded all over the room.\u00a0\u00a0 The goose down pillows, too, had also been cut open.\u00a0\u00a0 Feathers littered the room.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat the—?!\u201d the sheriff stammered, gazing at the tattered, broken remains of Sally\u2019s possessions strewn all over the room.<\/p>\n \u201cWhoever did it was looking for something,\u201d Joe said grimly.<\/p>\n \u201cYou sure, Joe?\u201d Roy asked.<\/p>\n \u201cNone of the other rooms were touched, Sheriff Coffee,\u201d Joe said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI saw them when I went in search of sheets to use as bandages.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cH-he\u2019s right,\u201d Sally sobbed, turning to face the two men.\u00a0\u00a0 She clutched her jewelry box tightly in both hands.\u00a0\u00a0 The lid was up, revealing it\u2019s entire contents.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf those men\u2019d come here to rob the place . . . they\u2019d have taken my jewelry.\u00a0\u00a0 I got some valuable pieces here . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n Roy frowned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat could they have possibly been after?\u201d<\/p>\n The answer hit Joe like a hard sucker punch to the solar plexus.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHer diary!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d Sally looked over at Joe askance.<\/p>\n \u201cSally, there was a leather bound book among the things you gave Sheriff Coffee to give Timmy,\u201d Joe hurriedly explained.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat book was Lotus O\u2019Toole\u2019s diary.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou think Miss O\u2019Toole named her murderer?\u201d Roy asked.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Joe replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI haven\u2019t gotten that far in translating it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTranslatin\u2019 it?\u201d Roy echoed staring over at Joe incredulously.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDid she write it in Chinese?\u201d<\/p>\n Joe shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe wrote in a language she and I made up when we were kids,\u201d he explained.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt was a secret language.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019m the only person left alive now who knows it.\u201d<\/p>\n Sally blanched.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOh dear God . . . . \u201d she murmured.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThose men . . . Joe, if those men were here lookin\u2019 f\u2019r Lotus\u2019 diary, they musta been sent by the man whut killed \u2018er!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Her hazel eyes were round with shocked horror.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat means . . . that m-means . . . she must\u2019ve said who killed her!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOr the man who murdered her is AFRAID she named him in her diary.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0Joe turned his attention to Roy Coffee, his heart thudding hard against his throat.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSheriff,\u201d he begged, \u201cwould you mind asking Bill Caine to fetch the doc\u2019s wife?\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ve gotta get back to the Ponderosa . . . gotta warn Pa . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He turned and bolted back down the hall, before Roy could reply.<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n Chapter 11<\/p>\n \u201cMister Cartwright, guess what?\u201d<\/p>\n Ben smiled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat, Timmy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMister Hoss and I have a surprise,\u201d Timmy chattered happily, his good spirits and childish exuberance restored.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat kind of surprise?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n \u201cA nice one, Mister Cartwright, a real nice one.\u201d<\/p>\n Timmy and Ben were downstairs in the living room area, seated together on the settee, awaiting the arrival of Miss Tess.<\/p>\n \u201cDid I hear someone mention a surprise?\u201d<\/p>\n Ben and Timmy turned toward the stairs and saw Stacy standing at the top landing, with three composition books in hand.\u00a0\u00a0 Timmy immediately jumped out of his seat and ran to the stairs to greet Stacy.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister Hoss and I have a surprise, Stacy,\u201d he said, as she stiffly descended the last two steps.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cA big surprise!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAlso a nice surprise,\u201d Ben added from his place on the sofa.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHow are you feeling?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt still hurts, Pa, but I thought I\u2019d better turn in my homework,\u201d Stacy said.\u00a0\u00a0 She turned her attention to Timmy, skipping along beside her.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhen do we get to see this surprise, Timmy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not something to see, Stacy, it\u2019s something Mister Hoss and I have to tell you,\u201d Timmy said eagerly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re telling everybody at supper tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCan you give me a hint?\u201d Stacy asked.<\/p>\n Timmy resolutely shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cPa, do YOU know . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know a thing,\u201d Ben said quickly.\u00a0\u00a0 True he had his suspicions, but he couldn\u2019t rightly say he knew for absolute certain.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf I DID know, it wouldn\u2019t be a surprise, now would it?\u201d<\/p>\n There was a knock at the front door.<\/p>\n \u201cMiss Tess!\u201d Timmy cried with eager delight.\u00a0\u00a0 He bolted from Stacy\u2019s side and ran toward the front door.<\/p>\n Stacy and Ben, meanwhile, made their way out to the dining room table and sat down.\u00a0\u00a0 The latter held the chair Hoss normally occupied at the table for his daughter, then seated himself in the vacant one beside her.\u00a0\u00a0 Timmy appeared a few moments later, leading Tess by the hand.<\/p>\n \u201cGood afternoon, Stacy . . . and you, too, Ben,\u201d Tess greeted father and daughter with a warm smile, as she took her place at the head of the table.\u00a0\u00a0 Timmy climbed into the chair across the table from Stacy.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBen, will you be joining us for our lessons?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d like to, if it\u2019s alright with you, Miss Tess,\u201d Ben replied, feeling oddly like a pupil himself once again.<\/p>\n \u201cIts perfectly alright with me,\u201d Tess readily gave consent.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve read and graded both of your essays, and both deserve an A plus.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She reached into her briefcase and pulled out both essays and returned them to the two students flanking her on either side at the table.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTimmy, you really love helping Mister Hoss with the horses, don\u2019t you?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Ma\u2019am, I do,\u201d Timmy replied, \u201c \u2018course I\u2019ll be helping Mister Hoss AND Stacy, as soon as she gets better.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cStacy,\u201d Tess turned her attention to her older pupil, \u201cthis account of The Wedding of the Century is priceless.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s been a long time since I laughed so hard.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, Miss Tess,\u201d Stacy said, accepting her essay.<\/p>\n \u201cThe only thing wrong with it was, it had to end,\u201d Tess said smiling.\u00a0\u00a0 She refrained from adding that she especially enjoyed reading the part about Reverend Hildebrandt fleeing from the burning church building with the seat of his britches on fire.<\/p>\n The sound of horse hooves in the yard, drew everyone\u2019s attention from the lessons at hand.<\/p>\n \u201cCochise,\u201d Stacy said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJoe\u2019s back.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI asked you both for another one hundred word essay on some ONE you most admire,\u201d Tess continued.<\/p>\n \u201cHere\u2019s mine, Miss Tess, but please promise you won\u2019t read it \u2018til after supper,\u201d Timmy said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s part of the surprise that Mister Hoss and I have.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou ARE staying for supper, aren\u2019t you, Miss Tess?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, I am,\u201d she replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI wouldn\u2019t miss the surprise Mister Hoss and Timmy have in store for all the world.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben frowned, as Tess accepted the essays, then turned to the subject of math.\u00a0\u00a0 He heard Cochise whinny again.\u00a0\u00a0 Why hadn\u2019t Joe taken him into the barn?\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMiss Tess . . . Stacy . . . Timmy, would you please excuse me for a moment?\u201d he said rising.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d like to check on Joe . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGo ahead, Ben,\u201d Tess said.<\/p>\n Ben left the table and walked over to the door.\u00a0\u00a0 Upon opening it, he saw Cochise wandering around the yard without, freely grazing.\u00a0\u00a0 There was no sign of Joe at all.\u00a0\u00a0 He walked out, took Cochise\u2019s reigns in hand, and led the paint into the barn.<\/p>\n \u201cJOSEPH?!\u201d he yelled.<\/p>\n \u201cSorry, he\u2019s not here, Mister Cartwright,\u201d it was Jonathan.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCan I help you?\u201d<\/p>\n A bewildered frown creased his brow.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou . . . you haven\u2019t seen Joe?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, Sir,\u201d Jonathan replied.<\/p>\n \u201cI found Cochise wandering out in front of the house,\u201d Ben explained, \u201cbut no sign of Joe there, either.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIs it possible for him to have slipped into the house without you seeing him?\u201d Jonathan knew that not to be the case, even as he spoke the words to the question.\u00a0\u00a0 His eyes fell on a rolled piece of paper tied with a leather thong, attached securely to the saddle horn.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c . . . uh, Mister Cartwright?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He untied the thong from the saddle and held the rolled paper out to the Cartwright family patriarch.<\/p>\n Ben snatched the paper from Jonathan\u2019s outstretched hand, slipped it out of the leather thong and unrolled it.\u00a0\u00a0 Jonathan looked on anxiously as Ben read.\u00a0\u00a0 A moment later he looked up, his face ashen.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJoe\u2019s been kidnapped,\u201d it took every ounce of will he possessed to speak those words.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThey\u2019re demanding Lotus O\u2019Toole\u2019s diary as ransom, and have instructed me to bring it tonight to that copse of trees along the brook running through that meadow where we found Miss O\u2019Toole.\u00a0\u00a0 They also tell me to come alone.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou can\u2019t go alone, Mister Cartwright,\u201d Jonathan said earnestly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThey\u2019ll take the diary . . . then kill you AND Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMister Smith, I have no choice,\u201d Ben said in a tone that brooked no argument and signaled unequivocally the end of any and all discussion of the matter.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ll say nothing to the rest of my family.\u201d<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n Through out supper, Ben found himself staring off into space, completely oblivious to everyone and everything around him.\u00a0 Hop Sing served the meal, a special one of fried chicken, even if the day wasn\u2019t Sunday, mashed potatoes, peas, carrots, spinach, and light fluffy biscuits.\u00a0\u00a0 The Ponderosa chef had even baked a big cherry pie, Timmy\u2019s absolute favorite, for the occasion.\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy tried to participate in Hoss\u2019 and Timmy\u2019s joyful excitement, but her father\u2019s somber mood stirred a heavy anxiety and deep foreboding.<\/p>\n \u201cHop Sing, as usual, you\u2019ve outdone yourself,\u201d Tess complimented the chef with a big, satisfied smile.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, Miss Tess, thank you very much,\u201d Hop Sing graciously accepted the compliment.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHop Sing hope Miss Tess save room for cherry pie.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCherry pie?\u00a0\u00a0 My favorite!\u201d Tess exclaimed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI ALWAYS have room for cherry pie!\u201d<\/p>\n Hop Sing rose, intending to clear away the dishes and remains of a very fine meal.<\/p>\n Hoss rose and held up his hand.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHop Sing, can you hold off on that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut, Hop Sing must clear table for cherry pie,\u201d he protested.<\/p>\n \u201cYou will in just a minute,\u201d Hoss said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cRight now, Timmy an\u2019 I have somethin\u2019 to tell you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMister Hoss is going to be my pa,\u201d the boy eagerly spilled the beans.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s going to . . . to . . . I forgot the word again.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAdopt, Timmy,\u201d Hoss supplied the word with a smile.<\/p>\n \u201cMister Hoss is going to adopt me and be my pa,\u201d the boy said.<\/p>\n \u201cCongratulations.\u00a0\u00a0 Mister Hoss make fine papa,\u201d Hop Sing declared, grinning from ear to ear, \u201cand young Timmy make fine son.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s wonderful news!\u201d Tess declared with a big smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCongratulations to both of you!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI should\u2019ve guessed,\u201d Stacy said, smiling in spite of her growing anxiety.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDo I get to teach my new nephew how to ride this summer, Big Brother?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou get to HELP teach \u2018im to ride, Little Sister,\u201d Hoss said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSeein\u2019 as how I\u2019m gonna be his pa, it\u2019s MY job to teach him.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben quietly rose and left the table.\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy was the only one to see him go.\u00a0\u00a0 She hastily excused herself, and followed her father over to the area he used as a study.<\/p>\n \u201cPa?\u201d<\/p>\n Ben froze.<\/p>\n \u201cPa, what\u2019s wrong?\u201d Stacy asked, taking great care to keep her voice down.<\/p>\n Ben sighed.\u00a0\u00a0 Try as he might, he could never quite put anything past this fey child of his, to borrow her mother\u2019s words.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cStacy, Joe\u2019s in trouble,\u201d he said, extracting Lotus O\u2019Toole\u2019s diary from the top left hand drawer of his desk.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI have to go to him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShouldn\u2019t you take Hoss?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n Ben shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf I take Hoss, I\u2019d ruin Timmy\u2019s surprise party,\u201d he said, striving desperately to keep things light.\u00a0\u00a0 The terrible anxiety he saw in her face told him at once that he had failed miserably.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cStacy, everything\u2019s going to be alright,\u201d he said quietly.<\/p>\n \u201cPromise?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI promise.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben walked over to the front door, and retrieved his tan leather jacket from the hook.\u00a0\u00a0 He slipped it on, tucking the diary in the large pocket on his left.\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy, with heart in mouth, followed him to the front door.<\/p>\n \u201cPa . . . \u201d<\/p>\n Ben opened his mouth to reprimand her until he noticed the tears in her eyes.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cStacy Rose Cartwright, what\u2019s this?\u201d he said gently, passing her a handkerchief.<\/p>\n \u201cPa, please promise me you\u2019ll be very, very careful,\u201d she said, her voice breaking on the last word.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPlease?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI promise,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0\u00a0 He turned to leave, then on impulse turned back and gave her a gentle hug, remembering her fractured ribs.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJoe and I will be back in a little while.\u201d<\/p>\n Stacy remained at the door, waiting until the sound of Big Buck\u2019s hooves had faded away to silence.\u00a0\u00a0 She turned, casting a quick furtive glance over her shoulder.\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss, Timmy, Miss Tess, and Hop Sing were still seated at the table, enjoying their cherry pie and delighting in the good news announced by Timmy and Hoss, complacently unaware that she had not yet returned to the table.\u00a0\u00a0 Satisfied, she stepped outside, closing the door as quietly as possible behind her.<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n \u201cPlease,\u201d Joe Cartwright begged for the thousandth time.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cKill ME if you have to, but leave my pa and the rest of my family out of this.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI must have that diary,\u201d the man standing over him said in a quiet voice that sent chills down Joe\u2019s spine.<\/p>\n Joe was lying on the carpeted floor of someone\u2019s posh office, an accountant or perhaps a lawyer, given the polished dark wood paneling, the massive, heavy desk and chairs, the barristers bookcases crammed full with books, and the large oil painting depicting a fierce battle between cavalry men and Indians covering most of the visible wall behind the desk.\u00a0\u00a0 A single oil lamp burned on the desk behind him, casting a dim flickering circle of light around him.\u00a0\u00a0 He could see the man\u2019s feet and legs, shod in a pair of black leather shoes polished to a high glossy shine and covered by a pair of slacks made of black flannel, the front creases pressed almost sharp enough to slice bread.\u00a0\u00a0 The remainder of the man\u2019s person was well hidden in the deep shadows above the rim of lamp light.\u00a0\u00a0 Joe himself was bound hand and foot, his hair mussed, shirt torn, and face streaked with dirt.<\/p>\n \u201cI keep telling you . . . that diary\u2019s written in a secret language we made up when we were kids,\u201d Joe said tersely.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m the only one alive who can translate it!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t take that chance,\u201d the man said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cEverything I\u2019ve ever wanted lies just within my grasp.\u00a0\u00a0 The contents of that diary could ruin everything.\u00a0\u00a0 I WILL NOT allow the scribblings of a . . . a half breed little jezebel to jeopardize everything I\u2019ve worked so long and so hard for.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe bristled against the cruel words used in reference to Lotus O\u2019Toole.\u00a0\u00a0 He gritted his teeth, as he fought hard to contain his escalating anger.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSorry, Lotus,\u201d<\/em> he silently, contritely apologized to his oldest friend.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re dead, and I more than likely will be, too.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ve got to do what I can now to save my father, brother, and sister.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Somewhere in the darkness, high up to Joe\u2019s right, a clock struck the hour of eight o\u2019clock.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s time,\u201d the man said softly.\u00a0\u00a0 He turned to leave the room.<\/p>\n \u201cPlease, whoever you are, I beg of you . . . don\u2019t meet my father tonight,\u201d Joe implored passionately.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLet him keep the diary!\u00a0\u00a0 Neither he, nor anyone else can possibly read it . . . I swear as God is my witness— \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI told you before, I simply can\u2019t take that chance,\u201d the man said.<\/p>\n \u201cAll you have to do is kill me right now!\u201d Joe begged.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDo that, and the secrets contained in that diary will remain secrets.\u00a0\u00a0 Please . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n The man pointedly turned a deaf ear to Joe\u2019s pleading and disappeared in the darkness.\u00a0\u00a0 A moment later, Joe saw a rectangle of light illuminate the man\u2019s body in silhouette when he opened the door.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMark?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Sir?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cKeep a close watch on him,\u201d the man said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf possible I want to keep him alive until that woman\u2019s diary is safe in hand.\u00a0\u00a0 However, if he should try to escape, do what you must.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Sir.\u201d<\/p>\n With that the man stepped into the rectangle of light and closed the door with a quiet click that sounded like the closing of a casket for the last time.\u00a0\u00a0 Joe leaned heavily against the desk at his back, overwhelmed by desolation and despair.\u00a0\u00a0 He drew a deep ragged breath, and gave in to the tears he had valiantly held in check for so long.<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n Stacy, with heart in mouth, stubbornly ignoring the escalating pain in her torso, had already placed the bridle and blanket on her horse, Blaze Face.\u00a0\u00a0 Taking the reins in hand, she softly cautioned Blaze Face to remain silent, then led him from the stall to the rack holding her saddle.\u00a0\u00a0 She paused briefly, to catch her breath.\u00a0\u00a0 Her agony seemed to burn within, without let up, waxing hotter and hotter with each breath she took.\u00a0\u00a0 Biting down hard on her lower lip, she turned and placed her hands on the saddle.<\/p>\n \u201cStacy, I wouldn\u2019t if I were you.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 It was Jonathan.<\/p>\n \u201cW-would you . . . would you . . . mind saddling my horse?\u201d she asked in as steady a voice as she could muster.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPlease?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat about your promise to Doc Martin?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat promise?\u201d Stacy demanded, exasperation getting the better of her.<\/p>\n \u201cThat you wouldn\u2019t set foot outside the house if he gave the ok to attend Miss O\u2019Toole\u2019s funeral,\u201d Jonathan said.<\/p>\n \u201cJonathan, my pa and brother are in danger!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen help me saddle my horse, please.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWHAT?\u201d Stacy shrieked in outrage and frustration.<\/p>\n \u201cStacy, I promise you . . . your father and brother will survive what\u2019s soon to come,\u201d Jonathan said earnestly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHelp from an unexpected source is coming to their aid even as I speak right now.\u00a0\u00a0 Please, trust me!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow do you know?\u201d<\/p>\n A tiny prickle of light appeared in the middle of Jonathan\u2019s chest.\u00a0\u00a0 It expanded, across his chest, to his face, and down his arms and legs.\u00a0\u00a0 His slacks and flannel shirt faded, as the light bathing and surrounding Jonathan became his clothing.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI am an angel sent by God to help put right a terrible wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n Stacy\u2019s mouth dropped open.<\/p>\n \u201cYour father and Joe have a very crucial part to play in setting things right,\u201d Jonathan explained.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou have to let what\u2019s been set in motion play itself out.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat about Miss O\u2019Toole?\u201d Stacy rounded on Jonathan furiously.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDid SHE have a crucial part to play in setting whatever wrong\u2019s been committed back to right?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHer death has played a significant role in doing so . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf you think for one minute I\u2019m gonna stand by idly while the deaths of my father and brother play crucial roles in this . . . this game of yours, you\u2019d better think again,\u201d Stacy said.\u00a0\u00a0 The white hot fury consuming her had all but obliterated the pain from her fractured ribs.<\/p>\n \u201cStacy, your father and brother will be all right.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe way Miss O\u2019Toole was all right?\u201d Stacy countered.\u00a0\u00a0 With a burst of superhuman strength and endurance born in the growing flames of her rage and fear, she seized her saddle in both hands and placed it on Blaze Face\u2019s back with almost ridiculous ease.<\/p>\n \u201cStacy, if you go after your father now, you\u2019ll endanger yourself and all but guarantee his AND your brother\u2019s deaths,\u201d Jonathan said tersely.<\/p>\n Stacy froze.<\/p>\n \u201cI promise you, your father and brother WILL survive this,\u201d Jonathan reiterated.\u00a0\u00a0 A\u00a0 desperate edge crept into his voice.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut YOU have to stay out of it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJonathan,\u201d she wailed, \u201cI can\u2019t just sit by and do nothing!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t say you were going to just sit by and do nothing,\u201d Jonathan said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou and I have a job to do, Stacy.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s a very hard job, but all things considered, it\u2019s the most important.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is it?\u201d Stacy asked.<\/p>\n \u201cYou and I are going to pray.\u201d<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n Chapter 12 by pkmoonshine<\/p>\n Bill Caine returned to the International Hotel during the early evening hours, after spending most of the day fetching and carrying at the ruined Silver Dollar Saloon.\u00a0\u00a0 Sam, the bartender, still hovered somewhere between life and death.\u00a0\u00a0 Doctor Martin and his wife were there and would remain through the night.\u00a0\u00a0 Sally Tyler had marshaled together the dozen employees who had ventured back after this afternoon\u2019s vandalism, and put them to work boiling water and cleaning up.\u00a0\u00a0 Sheriff Coffee had also elected to remain through out the night.\u00a0\u00a0 Clem, the deputy was also there, along with a dozen armed men sworn in as deputies.\u00a0\u00a0 With everything so well in hand, he had begun to feel as useful as the fifth wheel on a wagon.<\/p>\n He also felt at loose ends with himself.\u00a0\u00a0 The life he had planned to share with Lotus O\u2019Toole was as dead as her lifeless body now resting beneath the earth in the Virginia City Cemetery.\u00a0\u00a0 Her death had left in its wake an empty deep black chasm.\u00a0\u00a0 He had no idea in the world how he was going to fill it.<\/p>\n Bill walked over to the desk clerk, upon reaching the hotel.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAny messages?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo messages, but there is a young man waiting to see you . . . . \u201d the clerk began.<\/p>\n \u201cBill!\u201d<\/p>\n He turned and saw his younger brother Abel, his eyes round with fear and face swollen from tears recently shed.<\/p>\n \u201cBill, thank God!\u00a0\u00a0 I thought you\u2019d never get here!\u201d the words tumbled from the boy\u2019s lips one after the other.<\/p>\n \u201cAbel, what\u2019s wrong?\u201d Bill asked.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s Father,\u201d Abel half sobbed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI know he can be kinda scary sometimes, but tonight . . . .\u00a0\u00a0 Bill, tonight I\u2019m really afraid.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ve never seen him like this.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s got Joe Cartwright at the house,\u201d Abel said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI saw Mister Crawford an\u2019 a couple o\u2019 other guys bring \u2018im in through the back door.\u00a0\u00a0 Father keeps goin\u2019 on an\u2019 on about a diary that the Cartwrights have.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat diary?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt belonged to that saloon gal you were so in love with,\u201d Abel replied.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere\u2019s Father now?\u201d Bill asked.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was supposed to leave at eight to meet Mister Cartwright to get that diary,\u201d Abel said.<\/p>\n Bill deftly fished his pocket watch from his pocket and snapped up the cover.\u00a0\u00a0 The time was five minutes after eight.<\/p>\n \u201cBill, Father\u2019s gonna kill \u2018em.\u201d<\/p>\n Bill glanced over at his younger brother sharply.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cKill who, Abel?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe Cartwrights,\u201d Abel said.<\/p>\n \u201cCome on, Abel, we\u2019re going to get Sheriff Coffee.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m kinda tired, Bill,\u201d Abel said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCan I wait here?\u00a0\u00a0 No one saw me leave the house, I should be safe.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t count on it, Abel,\u201d Bill said grimly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe safest place you can be right now is with me.\u00a0\u00a0 Let\u2019s go.\u201d<\/p>\n The Caine brothers went immediately to the Silver Dollar Saloon.\u00a0\u00a0 As they entered the public room, now cleared of the broken furniture and swept free of the glass from the broken windows, bottles, and glasses, Bill saw Sally Tyler walking toward the bar, with broom and dust pan in hand.<\/p>\n \u201cSally!\u201d<\/p>\n She started.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOh, Bill!\u201d she exclaimed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou really gave me a turn, there!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSally, can you tell me where to find Sheriff Coffee?\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s urgent!\u201d Bill said tersely.<\/p>\n \u201cI left him upstairs with the doc an\u2019 Sam,\u201d she replied.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you,\u201d Bill crossed the public room in three easy giant strides and bounded up the stairs, two and three at a time.\u00a0\u00a0 Abel followed close at his heels.<\/p>\n \u201cSheriff Coffee,\u201d Bill said, bursting into the room occupied by Sam, the sheriff and the Martins.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ve got to help us.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben and Joe Cartwright\u2019s lives depend on it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s up, Bill?\u201d Roy asked.<\/p>\n Bill quickly told the sheriff everything Abel had just told him.<\/p>\n \u201cDoc,\u201d Roy said, rising.<\/p>\n \u201cI heard,\u201d Paul said grimly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGiven the circumstances, we should be alright here.\u00a0\u00a0 You g\u2019won after Ben and Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n Roy Coffee gathered together ten of the men standing guard at the Silver Dollars and rode with them toward the place where Ben was to meet with the man responsible for kidnapping Joe.\u00a0\u00a0 He dispatched Clem and one of the two remaining newly appointed deputies to go with the Caine Brothers back to their father\u2019s house to rescue Joe Cartwright.<\/p>\n \u201cI know a secret way in,\u201d Abel said they approached the house.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI used it to get out tonight.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Keeping well within the deep shadows he led his brother and the two deputies along the eastern side of the house and around back.\u00a0\u00a0 They bent over to sneak past the kitchen windows, where the light of several lamps burned brightly.\u00a0\u00a0 They came at last to a dark window.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThis window leads to Father\u2019s library,\u201d Abel whispered.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s right next to his office, where they have Joe Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n Clem opened the window and noiselessly climbed in first, rifle in hand and ready.\u00a0\u00a0 When he was satisfied that the coast was clear, he returned to the window and nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 Abel Caine climbed through the window next, followed by his older brother.\u00a0\u00a0 The other deputy brought up the rear.\u00a0\u00a0 After allowing a moment for their eyes to adjust to the darkness, Abel led them across the room to the pocket doors leading to the rest of the house.<\/p>\n Clem parted the library doors slightly and peered into the alcove beyond.\u00a0\u00a0 He saw no one.\u00a0\u00a0 He noiselessly increased the space between the doors, every muscle in his body tense and alert.\u00a0\u00a0 He heard no voices, and saw no one.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAbel, which way to the study?\u201d he whispered.<\/p>\n \u201cThat door, over there,\u201d Abel whispered back, pointing to the fast closed set of pocket doors facing the library.<\/p>\n \u201cI want all of you to wait here,\u201d Clem instructed the others.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll go over, make sure everything\u2019s secure, then I\u2019ll signal the rest of you.\u201d<\/p>\n The other three nodded grimly.<\/p>\n Clem peered out into the alcove again, making sure the coast was clear.\u00a0\u00a0 Seeing no one, he made his way with surprising ease and stealth, given a man of his bulk.\u00a0\u00a0 When he came to the closed pocket doors leading to the study, he flattened himself against then, his ears straining to catch the sound of movement within.\u00a0\u00a0 He heard nothing.\u00a0\u00a0 Gritting his teeth, with every muscle in his body tensed, he slowly, noiselessly slid pulled back one of the doors.<\/p>\n Clem\u2019s sharp ears picked up the almost inaudible sound of the hammer on a pistol being drawn back.\u00a0\u00a0 He dived into the room as the individual within fired two shots.\u00a0\u00a0 With heart in mouth, Clem quickly raised his rifle and fired into the darkness where he had seen the two rapid flashes of light caused by the igniting gunpowder launching deadly bullets forward.\u00a0\u00a0 His aim proved true.\u00a0\u00a0 In the darkness he heard a strangled groan, followed next by the sound of a gun striking the floor.\u00a0\u00a0 The ominous thud of an inert body collapsing came last, followed by complete and utter silence.<\/p>\n \u201cW-who\u2019s there?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJoe?\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s me, Clem.\u00a0\u00a0 You just sit tight a minute.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Two long giants strides brought him to the door, where he quickly motioned for the other deputy and the Caine Brothers to come.<\/p>\n \u201cClem, we\u2019ve gotta get to Pa,\u201d Joe said tersely, as Bill Caine knelt down to untie the robes binding his wrists.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s supposed to meet \u2018em at the meadow between here and the Ponderosa.\u00a0\u00a0 They\u2019re gonna KILL him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSheriff Coffee\u2019s on his way there now with some men,\u201d Clem said tersely.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll follow, but we need to move.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He drew a pocket knife from his jacket and sliced through the ropes around Joe\u2019s ankles.\u00a0\u00a0 He took Joe\u2019s left arm, and Bill Caine took his right.\u00a0\u00a0 Together, they dragged Joe to his feet.<\/p>\n \u201cThis way,\u201d Abel whispered, running toward the back of the room.\u00a0\u00a0 He seized the thick velvet curtains in both hands and pulled them down, rods and all, revealing French doors that opened out onto a patio beyond.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThis\u2019ll take us to the stables out back.\u201d<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n The man, clad entirely in black, noiselessly dismounted.\u00a0\u00a0 He took the reins of his horse and strode resolutely into the copse of trees up ahead, his sharp eyes scanning the terrain before him.\u00a0\u00a0 He saw no horse tethered, no sign at all of anyone, save himself.\u00a0\u00a0 Frowning, he reached into the pocket of his vest and drew out his pocket watch.\u00a0\u00a0 The time was nearly quarter past the hour.<\/p>\n \u201cBen Cartwright\u2019s late,\u201d he muttered angrily under his breath.\u00a0\u00a0 Seized by a pang of momentary distress, his hand involuntarily moved to touch his holstered gun.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOn second thought, it may best serve my purpose to have arrived first,\u201d he mused, his distress subsiding.\u00a0\u00a0 He could tether his horse around the other side of the trees, the side facing away from the road, hide himself, and wait.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhen Ben Cartwright comes, I can just kill him and take the diary from his body.\u201d<\/p>\n Suppose Ben Cartwright didn\u2019t bring the diary?\u00a0\u00a0 He froze, seized with a paralyzing panic that chilled the blood in his veins.\u00a0\u00a0 The elder Cartwright was a lot of things, but stupid did not number among them.\u00a0\u00a0 He wouldn\u2019t put it past him to hide the diary somewhere, known only to himself, to buy time and perhaps a measure of bargaining power.\u00a0\u00a0 That was certainly a strategy he himself would employ.<\/p>\n \u201cBen Cartwright loves his sons and daughter above all else,\u201d<\/em> a saner, more logical voice within asserted itself.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe would NEVER do anything to endanger them.\u00a0\u00a0 He knows his youngest son\u2019s life is at stake.\u00a0\u00a0 He WILL have the diary.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n The man exhaled a sigh of relief, his entire body relaxing.\u00a0\u00a0 He led his horse around to that portion of trees hidden from the road and tethered the animal there well out of sight.\u00a0\u00a0 A predatory smile spread slowly across his face.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben Cartwright would have that diary.\u00a0\u00a0 He knew that now, knew it beyond any shadow of doubt whatsoever.\u00a0\u00a0 He would hide himself and wait.\u00a0\u00a0 When Ben Cartwright came, he would shoot and kill him before he ever knew what had hit him.<\/p>\n Stepping into the ragged circle of trees, he froze, every muscle in his body tensed.\u00a0 Someone WAS here.\u00a0\u00a0 He could feel it.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCartwright?\u201d he called out into the darkness.<\/p>\n Silence, save for a gentle breeze stirring the tree branches.\u00a0\u00a0 Outside the circle of trees he heard his own horse nicker.\u00a0\u00a0 Forcing his body to relax, he glanced about for a place to hide.\u00a0\u00a0 Try as he might, however, he simply couldn\u2019t shake feeling of another present, lurking somewhere in the darkness.\u00a0\u00a0 His horse nickered again, followed by the sound of a second horse.\u00a0\u00a0 He froze.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCartwright?\u00a0\u00a0 Where are you? \u00a0\u00a0Show yourself!\u201d<\/p>\n A strong, well muscled arm seized his neck in a near strangling vice like grip, and he felt a thin barrel of steel press up hard against his back.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m right here,\u201d a tight, angry baritone voice whispered tersely in his ear.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re going to take me to my son, and he\u2019d better be alive, well, and in one piece.\u00a0\u00a0 If he\u2019s not . . . if I find so much as a scratch on him, I\u2019ll kill you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGo ahead, Mister Cartwright,\u201d the man said complacently.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGo ahead and kill me.\u00a0\u00a0 You don\u2019t see your son until I have that diary safe in hand.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve never been one to pry into another person\u2019s diary or journal,\u201d Ben said slowly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cEveryone needs a private place where he or she can record thoughts, musings even dreams.\u00a0\u00a0 But you\u2019re so desperate to get your hands on Miss O\u2019Toole\u2019s diary, I can\u2019t help but wonder what\u2019s in it.\u201d<\/p>\n The man in Ben Cartwright\u2019s grasp chuckled sardonically.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhere ever do you get the idea I\u2019m desperate to get hold of it?\u201d<\/p>\n Though the man succeeded in keeping a light, sarcastic edge to his tone of voice, Ben could feel his body tensing.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ve gone through a lot of trouble to get your hands on it,\u201d he said in an ice cold voice.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat has me VERY interested in what\u2019s there.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ll bet Sheriff Coffee\u2019d be interested in what\u2019s written down in that diary, too.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben Cartwright toyed with him.\u00a0\u00a0 He knew full well the damning information those pages held, how could he NOT?\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBy all means, let\u2019s go see the sheriff,\u201d the man said slowly, thoughtfully.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHowever, that will take time, Mister Cartwright, time your son doesn\u2019t have.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s THAT supposed to mean?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt means I\u2019ve left instructions for my men to kill your son if I don\u2019t return within the next hour.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou . . . KILLED . . . Miss O\u2019Toole, didn\u2019t you!\u201d Ben said, the horror and cold fury plainly evident in his voice.\u00a0\u00a0 He knew that as sure as he knew the sun was going to rise tomorrow morning.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you truly believe that, then you should know I\u2019m quite capable of killing your son the same way.\u00a0\u00a0 Slowly,\u201d the man said in a calm, carefully measured tone.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cVERY slowly, to prolong each.\u00a0 exquisite.\u00a0 moment.\u00a0 of agony.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He could feel the shudder that passed through Ben Cartwright\u2019s massive frame.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d Ben demanded, the anger and revulsion clearly evident in his voice.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy what?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy did you kill her?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSurely you don\u2019t expect me to confess,\u201d the man said in a faintly condescending tone.\u00a0\u00a0 He sighed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIn any case, it\u2019s nothing less than she deserved.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo one deserves to be murdered, no one!\u201d Ben stated passionately.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cEspecially in the way in which Miss O\u2019Toole was murdered.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe witch stood in my way, Mister Cartwright,\u201d the man said.<\/p>\n \u201cHow?\u201d Ben demanded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAll she wanted . . . all she EVER wanted . . . was to live peacefully, and to raise her boy.\u00a0\u00a0 How could she have possibly stood in YOUR way, or anyone else\u2019s, for that matter?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe and her boy both, by their very existence, threatened to destroy everything I\u2019ve ever done, all I\u2019ve worked so hard to achieve,\u201d the man said.<\/p>\n \u201cTimmy, too?!\u201d Ben shuddered at the thought of that child, soon, maybe to be his grandchild, meeting the same gruesome fate as his mother.\u00a0\u00a0 What kind of monster did he hold in prisoner in his grasp?\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat boy is only six years old!\u00a0\u00a0 How could he possibly threaten you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat gold digging trollop enticed my son,\u201d the man said, his voice taut with a deep seated anger and bitter hatred the like of which Ben had never heard before in his life.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe convinced my foolish first born that he\u2019d fallen in love with her.\u00a0\u00a0 The boy actually wanted to marry her.\u00a0\u00a0 Can you believe that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, I CAN believe that,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMiss O\u2019Toole was a loving, kind, decent, and generous woman.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMister Cartwright, you are either incredibly naive or incredibly stupid,\u201d the man chuckled sardonically.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe was a gold digger, like all the other women at the Silver Dollar and any other saloon, for that matter, always on the prowl for a rich man.\u00a0\u00a0 Fortunately for my boy, I saw right through her little schemes, and put a stop to this wedding business by sending him back east to attend university.\u201d<\/p>\n The man sighed and shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI didn\u2019t act fact enough, I\u2019m afraid,\u201d he continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe STILL managed to get herself pregnant with his child so she could blackmail him AND blackmail ME for the rest of our lives.\u201d<\/p>\n The revelation sent Ben\u2019s senses reeling.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re WRONG!\u201d he vehemently denied the man\u2019s outrageous accusations.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMiss O\u2019Toole never told ANYONE who the father of her son was.\u00a0\u00a0 Never!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c . . . and I\u2019ve seen to it the heartless gold digger never will.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWas THAT supposed to be a confession?\u201d Ben\u2019s voice dripped with venomous sarcasm.<\/p>\n \u201cIn a court of law, it would come down to your word against mine,\u201d the man said complacently.<\/p>\n Ben, alternating between revulsion, rage, and a general, encompassing sickness of heart, wanted so much to wrap his fingers around this man\u2019s neck and squeeze the life out of him.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMiss O\u2019Toole wanted NOTHING from you!\u00a0\u00a0 NOTHING!\u201d he said contemptuously.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe was a proud woman, determined to make her own way in the world and provide the best she could for her boy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt would have come down to blackmail sooner or later, Mister Cartwright,\u201d the man said in a faintly condescending tone.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cEspecially since my stupid son wrote to her nearly everyday.\u00a0\u00a0 EVERY DAY!\u00a0\u00a0 I had the letters intercepted at the post office here, of course . . . she almost certainly would have kept them as evidence to blackmail my son and me.\u00a0\u00a0 When he wrote last month and told her he was coming to take her back to Boston to marry her, well I HAD to do something.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He paused.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister Cartwright, it has indeed been a pleasure chatting with you this evening.\u00a0\u00a0 However, the night grows cold and I have a warm fire at home waiting.\u00a0\u00a0 If I might have the diary?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou will NOT get Miss O\u2019Toole\u2019s diary until I see my son,\u201d Ben stated adamantly.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, Mister Cartwright, you will NOT see your son unless and until I get that diary,\u201d the man said smoothly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cStalemate.\u00a0\u00a0 Of course time is on MY side.\u00a0\u00a0 I figure you have maybe half an hour before my men kill your boy anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf I give you the diary, what kind of guarantee do I have that I\u2019ll see my boy?\u201d Ben demanded.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have my solemn word,\u201d the man said simply, savoring the taste of victory he saw lying within his grasp.<\/p>\n The solemn word of the man standing before him carried with it all the value of a plugged wooden nickel.\u00a0\u00a0 Even so, he had no choice.\u00a0\u00a0 If this man was in fact the same man who murdered the woman who had written her thoughts in that small book, he had no doubt in his mind that the man would carry through on his threat to murder Joe in the same slow, terrible way.\u00a0\u00a0 Ben, his body trembling with pent up rage and frustration reached into his pocket and drew out the small leather bound diary.<\/p>\n \u201cA wise decision,\u201d the man declared in a smug, insultingly condescending tone.\u00a0\u00a0 He held out his had expectantly.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen can I expect to see my son?\u201d Ben demanded.<\/p>\n \u201cSoon, Mister Cartwright, very soon indeed,\u201d the man drew his weapon from its holster in a quick, swift almost cat-like movement.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf you would be so kind as to unbuckle your gun belt?\u201d<\/p>\n Ben stared at the man standing before him, his face a mixture of shock, horror and astonishment.<\/p>\n \u201cYour gun belt, Mister Cartwright,\u201d the man prodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cRemove it and throw it on the ground right here, at my feet.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou . . . you meant to kill Joe and me all along, didn\u2019t you?\u201d Ben stammered, as he slowly unbuckled the gun belt.<\/p>\n \u201cI have no choice,\u201d the man said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf I leave the two of you alive, you\u2019ll go to the sheriff and I\u2019LL go to jail.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ve worked far too long, too hard, sacrificed too much to lose everything now.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He paused.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSince you\u2019ve been so cooperative, I promise you and your son will die quick and easy, with a single bullet.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cStep into the moonlight here,\u201d Ben ordered in a voice as cold as ice and harder than steel.<\/p>\n \u201cExcuse me?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI have the right to see the face of my murderer.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAs you wish,\u201d the man shrugged, then complied.<\/p>\n \u201cJudge William Caine,\u201d Ben spat.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t act so surprised, Mister Cartwright, you knew who I was all along,\u201d the judge said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou and your family have had this poisonous little tome in your possession long enough to have read it from cover to cover several times.\u201d<\/p>\n William Caine\u2019s mention of his family sent a wave bone chilling fear racing down Ben\u2019s spine.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Mister Cartwright, I\u2019ll have to dispatch your son, Hoss, and daughter, Stacy, as well,\u201d William said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHowever, I have my moments of magnanimity.\u00a0\u00a0 In gratitude for your co-operation in turning Miss O\u2019Toole\u2019s diary over to me, they, like you and Joe, will also die quickly with a single bullet.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He deftly removed his gun from its holster and took aim.<\/p>\n Lotus O\u2019Toole\u2019s face, nose broken, both eyes blackened, the one swollen shut suddenly passed before his eyes.\u00a0\u00a0 Her face faded into that of her son, Timmy his eyes wide open and staring, the light of his life gone.\u00a0\u00a0 Timmy\u2019s face became Hoss\u2019 face, which in turn faded into Joe\u2019s face, then Stacy\u2019s, all of them lifeless masks.\u00a0\u00a0 That dreadful vision galvanized Ben to action.\u00a0\u00a0 He leapt, seizing the judge firmly around the waist, bringing him to the ground with a hard thud, before the latter could even think of reacting.<\/p>\n For what seemed a terrible eternity, Ben and the judge found themselves locked in a desperate life or death struggle for possession of the gun.\u00a0\u00a0 The weapon discharged.\u00a0\u00a0 Searing pain raced through Ben\u2019s torso like a forest fire, raging out of control.\u00a0\u00a0 Gritting his teeth, he curled into a semi-fetal position, clutching his side to staunch the flow of blood.<\/p>\n The judge rose unsteadily to his feet, turned, and aimed at Ben\u2019s head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGood night, Mister Cartwright . . . and good-by.\u201d<\/p>\n A shot rang out, from beyond the circle of trees, striking the forearm of the judge\u2019s gun hand.\u00a0\u00a0 He dropped his weapon as if it had suddenly turned into a live, hot coal, howling in agony.<\/p>\n \u201cFreeze!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Roy Coffee, striding into the circle of trees, his own gun drawn.<\/p>\n Two other men followed at his heels, guns drawn and ready.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t even THINK of trying to make a run for it.\u00a0\u00a0 I have\u00a0 men surrounding this thicket o\u2019 trees, an\u2019 more on the way.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He peered into the darkness, searching for the Cartwright Family patriarch.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBen?\u201d<\/p>\n Relief surged through Ben like a raging flash flood. \u00a0\u00a0\u201cHere, Roy, I\u2019ve been hit.\u00a0\u00a0 I-I\u2019m . . . I\u2019m gonna need Doc M-Martin . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHarris, g\u2019won back to town \u2018n fetch the doctor,\u201d Roy ordered the younger of the two men who had accompanied him into the grove of trees.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBring \u2018im to the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n Harris nodded curtly, then set off at a dead run.<\/p>\n Ben\u2019s eyes caught a sudden, swift movement in the darkness.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cRoy!\u00a0\u00a0 Look out!\u201d<\/p>\n The judge with a single, quick fluid move, reached into the inner pocket of his jacket and pulled a small pistol.\u00a0\u00a0 He took aim at Roy, and fired.<\/p>\n Ben\u2019s shouted warning came in time for the sheriff to move and\u00a0 avoid ending up lying on a slab in the Virginia City Morgue.\u00a0\u00a0 However, the bullet grazed the sheriff\u2019s temple, knocking him off his feet and rendering him senseless.\u00a0\u00a0 The judge took aim at Ben.<\/p>\n \u201cDrop it, Father!\u201d<\/p>\n The judge started violently and turned just in time to see his oldest boy riding into the copse of trees, with Abel, Joe Cartwright, and Clem following behind.<\/p>\n \u201cPa?\u201d\u00a0 Joe anxiously peered into the darkness.<\/p>\n \u201cH-here, Joe,\u201d Ben responded, his voice barely audible.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cStay . . . stay back, Son, please . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n William, Junior, meanwhile, raised the rifle in his hands, aiming for his father\u2019s head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI told you to drop your gun, Father,\u201d he said in a tight, angry voice.<\/p>\n \u201cPut that thing away, Boy,\u201d the judge addressed his oldest son in the same condescending way an adult might address an unusually stupid child.<\/p>\n \u201cI told you to drop that gun,\u201d Bill said through clenched teeth.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNow!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCut the charade, Boy, you haven\u2019t got the nerve to pull that trigger.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf you don\u2019t drop that gun right now, Father, I swear, as God is my witness, I\u2019ll drop YOU right where you stand.\u201d<\/p>\n The judge blithely ignored his older son, returning his attention to Ben Cartwright.\u00a0\u00a0 He raised the pistol in his hand once again and took aim.<\/p>\n In the next instant William Caine, Junior, pulled the trigger of his rifle.<\/p>\n \u201cY-you . . . you sh-shot Pa!\u201d\u00a0 Abel stammered, his eyes round with shock.<\/p>\n \u201cYour brother had no choice, Son,\u201d Clem said quietly, placing a steady, comforting hand on the boy\u2019s shoulder.\u00a0\u00a0 He gazed earnestly into the stricken boy\u2019s face, and saw something else along with the stupefied horror.<\/p>\n ********<\/p>\n Joe ran his father\u2019s side, and there dropped to his knees.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPa?\u00a0\u00a0 Dear God, Pa, y-you\u2019ve been shot!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 His voice broke on the last word.<\/p>\n \u201cRoy . . . Roy sent Harris for . . . the doctor,\u201d Ben responded weakly.\u00a0\u00a0 The sound of Joe\u2019s voice was the sweetest piece of music to his ears.\u00a0\u00a0 He wanted to laugh, cry, dance, and jump up and down with joy, despite his physical agony.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll . . . I\u2019ll be\u00a0 alright, Son . . . p-promised Stacy, now I . . . I promise YOU.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He sighed, then lost consciousness.<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n Chapter 13<\/p>\n \u201cBen, you\u2019re a very, very lucky man,\u201d Paul Martin said wearily, as he finished binding the abdominal wound left by the bullet fired from the judge\u2019s gun.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt entered, passed through clean, and went out, all the while missing your vital organs.\u00a0\u00a0 Follow my instructions exactly to the letter, and you\u2019ll be up and around in a couple of weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA couple of weeks?!\u201d Ben echoed, with a sinking heart.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cA couple of weeks?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA couple of weeks!\u201d Paul sternly reiterated.<\/p>\n \u201cYour instructions?\u201d Ben growled.<\/p>\n \u201cPlenty of rest . . . and I DO mean rest, Ben . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI . . . I have work to do!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe boys can handle it,\u201d Paul said firmly.<\/p>\n Ben favored the doctor with the darkest scowl he could muster.<\/p>\n \u201cBen, this enforced convalescence presents a rare opportunity for you,\u201d Paul said, seating himself on the edge of the bed.<\/p>\n \u201cWHAT rare opportunity, Paul?\u201d Ben demanded in a sullen tone of voice.<\/p>\n \u201cAn opportunity to teach that high spirited daughter of yours by setting a good example,\u201d the doctor answered in a wry tone.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe just bought herself another two weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben looked up at his doctor in complete and utter disbelief.<\/p>\n \u201cStacy had actually saddled her horse and was ready to ride after you this evening,\u201d the doctor said gravely.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThankfully your new man talked her out of it, but still, all that heavy lifting set her back.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben made a mental note to thank Jonathan Smith profusely in the morning.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the meantime, Ben, you have two sons and a daughter anxiously waiting to see you,\u201d Paul said in a kindlier tone.<\/p>\n Ben had vague, dreamlike memories of riding home on a horse borrowed from Judge Caine\u2019s stable, wrapped firmly in the arms of his youngest son.\u00a0\u00a0 He stirred as Hoss tenderly carried him upstairs to his bed, as easily as Ben had once carried Hoss in his own arms many years ago as a baby, and again as Stacy, her eyes bright with unshed tears, helped Hop Sing get him settled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPaul, please, send them in,\u201d he begged.<\/p>\n Paul Martin rose and crossed the room to the door.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHoss, Stacy, Joe, you can come in now,\u201d he invited, \u201cbut keep it brief.\u00a0\u00a0 Your pa needs his rest.\u201d<\/p>\n The Cartwright offspring entered the room, as the doctor discreetly withdrew, their careworn faces a varied mixture of anguish and a deep, profound relief.\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy circled around to the side of the bed farthest from the door and gingerly seated herself on the edge.\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss carefully sat next to his father on the other side of the bed, while Joe drew up a chair beside his sister, and straddled it backwards.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s with the long faces?\u201d Ben asked, barely managing a wan smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe doc says I\u2019m going to be fine.\u00a0\u00a0 In fact, I\u2019ll be back on my feet in a couple of weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s great, Pa,\u201d Joe said with a tired smile.<\/p>\n \u201cAs for YOU, Young Woman,\u201d Ben turned his attention to Stacy, noting her red cheeks and swollen eyelids, \u201cDoctor Martin told me about you saddling Blaze Face.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d Hoss looked over at his sister in complete and utter disbelief.<\/p>\n \u201cI was going to go after Pa,\u201d Stacy said in a small, contrite voice.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJonathan . . . talked me out of it.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She turned back to her father, her blue eyes looking earnestly into his dark ones.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAm I in trouble, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n Ben shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m certainly in no shape right now for a trip out to the barn,\u201d he teased, then sobered.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHowever, for the next two weeks you and I are going to follow doctor\u2019s orders TO THE LETTER,\u201d he said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDo I make myself clear?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Pa,\u201d Stacy replied.<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n Paul Martin, meanwhile, quietly made his way down the steps, after leaving Ben Cartwright alone with his children.\u00a0\u00a0 He saw Jonathan Smith and William Caine sitting together at the dining room table, with Timmy between them.\u00a0\u00a0 The boy chattered like a proverbial magpie, directing the bulk of his near one-sided conversation toward William, who listened attentively gazing down at the child, his face a mixture of wonder, awe, love, and sadness.\u00a0\u00a0 Looking from Timmy, to William, and back to Timmy once again, the small subtle resemblances hit him like a hard blow to the solar plexus.<\/p>\n Catching sight of the doctor, Jonathan rose, leaving Timmy and William Caine alone at the table.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIs Mister Cartwright going to be alright?\u201d Jonathan asked.<\/p>\n The doctor nodded wearily.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOf course HE can be just as impatient to get back on his feet as his daughter,\u201d he said gravely.<\/p>\n \u201cLike father, like daughter, eh?\u201d Jonathan quipped with a half smile.<\/p>\n \u201cTheir guardian angels\u2019ll be working a lot of overtime the next couple of weeks,\u201d Paul sighed, \u201cjust to make sure the pair of \u2018em rest like they\u2019re supposed to.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t worry, those guardian angels\u2019ll handle things just fine,\u201d Jonathan said knowingly.<\/p>\n Paul stole a glance at Timmy and William, still seated at the table, in animated conversation with one another.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe really IS that boy\u2019s father, isn\u2019t he?\u201d the doctor murmured softly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBen kept saying that over and over, talking about telling Hoss while I removed the bullet.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019d thought it was . . . well, you know how people talk when they\u2019re temporarily out of their heads.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, on both counts,\u201d Jonathan replied.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere\u2019s Miss Tess?\u00a0\u00a0 She\u2019d asked if she might ride back to town with me when I\u2019d finished here . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s out in the barn with Abel,\u201d Jonathan said . . . .<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n Shortly after Hoss had carried his father upstairs, with Joe and Stacy anxiously following at his heels, Abel Caine quietly slipped out the front door, and made his way to the barn.\u00a0\u00a0 There, he half-collapsed, half-fell onto the hay bale near the stall occupied by Stacy Cartwright\u2019s horse, Blaze Face.\u00a0\u00a0 With a strangled sob, he buried his face in his hands unable to erase from his sight the vision of his father\u2019s lifeless body, eyes round with the shock and astonishment he must have felt in the instant Bill had pulled the trigger.<\/p>\n \u201cI . . . I\u2019m s-s-sorry, I\u2019m s-so sorry,\u201d he sobbed, \u201cso s-sorry I\u2019m . . . I\u2019m n-not strong like y-you . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n The sounds of Lotus O\u2019Toole sobbing so heart wrenchingly, pleading for her life, begging mercy, and screaming in anguish would almost certainly haunt him the rest of his life.\u00a0\u00a0 His father forced him to stand outside the fast closed door of the study and listen . . . .<\/p>\n \u201cSissy Boy!\u00a0 You listen and listen good to what happens when people cross me,\u201d William Caine, Senior had sneered.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou could use the toughening up.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Abel stood in the alcove, staring in horrified, morbid fascination at the fast closed door, his arms folded tightly across his chest, weeping hysterically trying to drown the sounds of her screams with his own.\u00a0\u00a0 There was one agonizing scream, more dreadful, somehow than all the rest, followed by a terrible, deafening silence.\u00a0\u00a0 Abel came away feeling sick inside and consumed with anger.\u00a0\u00a0 In the days immediately following, he had taken the latter out on Stacy Cartwright, something he deeply regretted now . . . .<\/em><\/p>\n Tonight, when Abel saw Mister Crawford and a couple of other men carrying Joe Cartwright, bound hand and foot, into his father\u2019s study, the same room in which the O\u2019Toole woman had been assaulted and brutalized, he had no doubt in his mind at all regarding his father\u2019s intentions.\u00a0\u00a0 Maybe he WAS a weak sissy as his father hastened to remind him at every opportunity, but he just could not stand the thought of standing outside the closed doors of the study again, listening to someone else scream and cry the way Lotus O\u2019Toole had.\u00a0\u00a0 He knew his older brother was in town, lodged at the International Hotel.\u00a0\u00a0 His decision to tell Bill had set in motion the chain of events that ended in his own father\u2019s death.\u00a0\u00a0 He had killed his own father, just as surely as Bill did when he fired that rifle.<\/p>\n \u201cAbel?\u00a0\u00a0 Abel, are you out here?\u201d<\/p>\n He glanced up sharply, and saw Miss Tess entering the barn.<\/p>\n \u201cAbel.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGo away,\u201d he snarled.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI want to be left alone.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe last thing in the world you need right now is to be alone,\u201d Tess said sternly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ve been left alone entirely too much throughout your brief span of years, Young Man.\u201d<\/p>\n Abel glanced up, his eyes meeting hers.\u00a0\u00a0 He had the unsettling feeling that she knew every detail, every minute of his life as intimately as he himself did.<\/p>\n \u201cYou saved two lives tonight, Abel,\u201d Tess said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat took a lot of strength and COURAGE on your part.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI did it because I\u2019m a sissy,\u201d Abel said bitterly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI couldn\u2019t stand the thought of what happened to Miss O\u2019Toole happening to Joe Cartwright because I\u2019m a sissy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d Tess said sternly, her mouth thinning to a hard, angry line.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou couldn\u2019t stand the thought of Joe Cartwright suffering what Miss O\u2019Toole suffered because you\u2019re basically a kind, decent, highly principled young man, whose sense of honor, decency, and moral outrage had enough.\u201d<\/p>\n Abel stared up at her, listening intently.<\/p>\n \u201cIt takes a strong man to be all of those things,\u201d Tess continued, \u201cand a courageous one to risk acting on all those things.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She paused.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSurely you don\u2019t think Mister Cartwright is a sissy!?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAbsolutely not!\u201d Abel declared stoutly.<\/p>\n \u201cHE\u2019S very much all of those things . . . and more.\u201d<\/p>\n Abel silently digested her words, and saw, for the first time the correlation of all those characteristics.\u00a0\u00a0 He also realized that for all the unkind, cruel things his father said about the Cartwrights, his father was actually afraid of them, especially BEN Cartwright, because of all those qualities they embodied.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Had his own father actually been afraid of him, too?<\/p>\n \u201cMiss Tess?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Abel?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s going to happen to me?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI mean . . . what\u2019s going to happen to me?\u201d Abel asked.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNow that my father\u2019s dead, and Bill\u2019s got his own boy to raise, what\u2019s going to happen to ME?\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ve never been on my own before . . . I don\u2019t even know if I can manage.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat boy can use an uncle,\u201d Tess said with a smile.<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe, but he won\u2019t want ME for one, Miss Tess, that\u2019s for sure,\u201d Abel said soberly, \u201cnot after the way I treated him since his first day of school.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He sighed and shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThey ALL hate me, Miss Tess, the Cartwrights, the kids at school, Timmy, and probably my brother after Timmy gets through talkin\u2019 to him.\u00a0\u00a0 Everyone hates me!\u00a0\u00a0 The funny thing now is, before I would have said it was all their fault, and hated them back.\u00a0\u00a0 Now . . . I can\u2019t blame any of \u2018em for hating me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBaby, no one hates you, no one ever did,\u201d Tess said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cEspecially God.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGod?!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Abel echoed incredulously, when he turned to face her, his jaw dropped.<\/p>\n Miss Tess sat on the hay bale beside him, clothed in a brilliant white light that emanated from within.\u00a0\u00a0 The light bathed and surrounded her, dazzling and illuminating, without any kind of blinding glare.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYes, Abel, I\u2019m an angel,\u201d Tess said.<\/p>\n \u201cW-why have you come?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTo remind you that God loves you,\u201d Tess replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s seen you through a lot, Baby.\u00a0\u00a0 He cried with you all the times your father beat you and punished you for no good reason, He was with you all the times you were in pain and afraid, hurting right along with you, and He grieved the times you fell, as ALL of us fall, Baby.\u00a0\u00a0 And through it all, He gave you the strength and courage to endure, all the while surrounding and holding you up with His Love.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI remember, Miss Tess,\u201d Abel said, smiling through his tears.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhen I think back on all that, I DO remember sensing the presence of Someone always with me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo matter what happens to you, Abel, even if you DO end up on your own, God will continue to be there,\u201d Tess said.<\/p>\n \u201cTh-thanks, Miss Tess,\u201d Abel said, wiping his eyes with the heel of his hand.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThanks for reminding me.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019d f-forgotten lately.\u201d<\/p>\n Miss Tess slipped her arms around Abel and hugged him close.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe ALL need reminding from time to time, Baby.\u201d<\/p>\n Abel leaned against her, wondering for a brief, fleeting moment if being held by one\u2019s mother felt anything like this.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDo angels need reminding?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Baby, angels need reminding, too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSurely not you . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEspecially me,\u201d she said simply.<\/p>\n \u201cDo Timmy and Stacy know?\u00a0\u00a0 About you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cStacy\u2019s met my partner, and she and Timmy will know all about me after you tell them,\u201d Tess said with a smile.<\/p>\n \u201cTess?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 It was Jonathan.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDoc Martin\u2019s ready to go back to town.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re riding in a buggy?\u201d Abel stared at her with open skepticism.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re not gonna . . . well, fly?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe fly back and forth between Heaven and Earth,\u201d Jonathan said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut, while we\u2019re on Earth, we get around the same way everyone else does.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis is my partner, Jonathan,\u201d Tess said.\u00a0\u00a0 She had reverted to being once again the Virginia City school marm.<\/p>\n \u201cWill I see you in school tomorrow, Miss Tess?\u201d Abel asked.<\/p>\n Tess shook her head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYour real teacher\u2019s coming in tomorrow,\u201d she said, \u201cbut I won\u2019t be leaving Virginia City just yet.\u00a0\u00a0 I have one last piece of business to take care of first.\u201d<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n The following morning, Ben Cartwright woke up to the delicious aroma of bacon, coffee, and pancakes.\u00a0\u00a0 He yawned, licking his lips appreciatively, then turned, his eyes resting on the window of the wall running parallel to his bed.\u00a0\u00a0 Through the parted curtains, he could see bright azure blue sky and brilliant shimmering aspens and cottonwoods.\u00a0\u00a0 The sound of the wind blowing through tree branches and pounding against the window and the early morning chill in the room bespoke the beginning of a spectacular autumn day.\u00a0\u00a0 Today would have been a perfect day to ride out to Ponderosa Plunge, or maybe the shores of the lake to enjoy the crisp autumn weather and contemplate the Creator within it all.<\/p>\n Ben gingerly eased himself to a sitting position, wincing as his awkward movements set off a dull, throbbing ache in his side.\u00a0\u00a0 There would be no ride to the lake or to Ponderosa Plunge for him today, due to the grave nature of the gunshot wound inflicted on him by the late Judge William Caine the night before.\u00a0\u00a0 Yet, thanks to the actions of the judge\u2019s sons, there would be other autumn days like this one, and, hopefully, many more autumns to come.\u00a0\u00a0 Though Ben found no joy in the death of Judge Caine, he found cause to rejoice that he and Joe had both survived.\u00a0\u00a0 He closed his eyes and murmured a short, yet heartfelt prayer of thanksgiving.<\/p>\n An insistent knock on the closed door to his bedroom roused him from his meditations.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYes?\u201d Ben responded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWho is it?\u201d<\/p>\n The door opened and Hop Sing entered carrying a tray with a big healthy stack of pancakes generously buttered, and overflowing with thick maple syrup.\u00a0\u00a0 A half dozen slices of bacon were on a separate plate, and there was a large mug of steaming hot coffee.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHop Sing serve breakfast, Mister Cartwright,\u201d he announced.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou big man.\u00a0\u00a0 Not big like Mister Hoss, but still big man!\u00a0\u00a0 Big man must eat.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHop Sing, you\u2019re an absolute Godsend!\u201d Ben declared with a broad grin.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cRight now, I\u2019m so hungry, I could eat a whole herd of horses.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat good!\u201d Hop Sing said approvingly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cRoom cold.\u00a0\u00a0 Hop Sing build fire in fireplace.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, don\u2019t bother, Hop Sing, please,\u201d Ben adamantly shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAs soon as I finish breakfast, I intend to at the very least put on my bathrobe and g\u2019won downstairs.\u201d<\/p>\n Hop Sing looked over at him with open skepticism and frank disapproval.<\/p>\n \u201cHop Sing, I promise you, I won\u2019t do anything more strenuous than sit down by the fire in the living room, put my feet up, and read a good book,\u201d Ben said earnestly.<\/p>\n \u201cMister Cartwright, you WORSE than Mister Hoss, Mister Adam, Little Joe, AND Miss Stacy ALL PUT TOGETHER,\u201d Hop Sing declared, as he placed the breakfast tray on Ben\u2019s lap.<\/p>\n \u201cI should be,\u201d Ben quipped, \u201cI have a few years up on them when it comes to learning how to be impatient.\u201d<\/p>\n Hop Sing favored his old friend with a dark \u2018I-am-not-amused\u2019 glare.<\/p>\n Ben\u2019s smile faded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIs Hoss awake yet?\u201d he asked, turning his thoughts to more serious matters.<\/p>\n \u201cMister Hoss wake up early,\u201d Hop Sing replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cChop wood, build fire.\u00a0\u00a0 Timmy up, too.\u00a0\u00a0 Timmy talking to Mister Hoss now about going back to school.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWould you mind asking Hoss to come up?\u201d Ben asked, his voice tinged with sadness and regret.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThere\u2019s something I have to tell him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTimmy not be part of Cartwright Family,\u201d Hop Sing said.<\/p>\n \u201cI . . . know who Timmy\u2019s father is,\u201d Ben said slowly.<\/p>\n \u201cHop Sing know, too, Mister Cartwright.\u00a0\u00a0 Older Caine boy.\u00a0\u00a0 He Timmy\u2019s papa.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow did you find out?\u201d Ben asked, looking up at Hop Sing in surprise.<\/p>\n \u201cHop Sing see Older Caine Boy with Timmy,\u201d Hop Sing said gravely.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOlder Caine Boy knows and knows not . . . like you and Miss Stacy at first.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cThen Mister Hoss not adopt,\u201d Hop Sing said.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s right, Hop Sing,\u201d Ben said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister Hoss not adopt.\u201d<\/p>\n Hop Sing turned and left the room.\u00a0\u00a0 A few moments later, Hoss stepped through the door, fully dressed, his cheeks red and hair mussed from his venture outside to split and fetch firewood earlier.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c \u2018Mornin\u2019, Pa,\u201d Hoss greeted him with a smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re lookin\u2019 a mite better \u2018n you did last night . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI feel better, and I\u2019m hungry as a bear,\u201d Ben said, stabbing a hefty portion of the stacked pancakes with his fork.\u00a0\u00a0 He had already consumed two thirds of the pancakes and all but one slice of the bacon.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPull up a chair, Son, there\u2019s something I need to tell you.\u201d<\/p>\n Something in the tone of voice warned Hoss that whatever it was his father had to say wasn\u2019t going to be good.\u00a0\u00a0 He crossed the room to the other side of the bed and pulled up the same chair his younger brother had occupied the night before.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat is it, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n Ben looked over at Hoss, dark eyes meeting light blue, desperately wracking his brain to find the right words to say.<\/p>\n \u201cPa . . . . ?\u201d Hoss prodded gently.<\/p>\n Ben sighed.\u00a0\u00a0 There WAS no right or particularly kind way to say what needed to be said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHoss, I . . . I found out who Timmy\u2019s father is last night,\u201d he said quietly.<\/p>\n Hoss felt like he had been sucker punched with a hard blow to his solar plexus.\u00a0\u00a0 All he could do was stare at his father, his eyes round with shock.<\/p>\n \u201cWilliam Caine, Junior is Timmy\u2019s father, Hoss,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n \u201cH-how . . . how d\u2019ya know that, Pa?\u201d Hoss murmured.<\/p>\n \u201cJudge Caine told me.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss frowned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHow d\u2019ya know he wasn\u2019t lyin\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause, at the time, he was so sure HE was going to walk away, leaving me dead and all of his secrets buried with me, that he confessed to everything,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s why he killed Miss O\u2019Toole, Son, because he was afraid SHE would let it be known that Timmy was William, Junior\u2019s son.\u201d<\/p>\n An angry scowl knotted Hoss\u2019 brow.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhere has William Caine, Junior been keepin\u2019 himself f\u2019r the last six years, Pa?\u201d he demanded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhere was he while Lotus worked herself to the bone, tryin\u2019 to provide f\u2019r herself and Timmy?\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ll tell ya where he was, Pa.\u00a0\u00a0 He was attendin\u2019 a big, fancy university back east without a care in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHoss . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, Pa!\u201d Hoss protested, his voice rising.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWilliam Caine, Junior made love to Lotus, \u2018n left her.\u00a0\u00a0 She gave birth to Timmy without him, an\u2019 she raised that boy all by herself, with no help at all from William, Junior.\u00a0\u00a0 In MY book, he don\u2019t deserve to have Timmy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDid you see William Caine, Junior at Lotus O\u2019Toole\u2019s funeral?\u201d Ben asked gently.<\/p>\n Hoss silently pondered the question, then shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI was kinda busy keepin\u2019 an eye on Timmy, an\u2019 helpin\u2019 Joe git through his piece,\u201d he replied.<\/p>\n \u201cI saw him, Son,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cFrom the look on his face, I could tell that he loved Lotus O\u2019Toole very much.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He fell silent for a moment.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI must have looked a lot like he did when your mother, Inger, died.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c . . . an\u2019 when Adam\u2019s, Joe\u2019s, and Stacy\u2019s mothers died, too, I expect,\u201d Hoss said ruefully.<\/p>\n \u201cHe DID write to Miss O\u2019Toole,\u201d Ben continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHis father intercepted the letters.\u00a0\u00a0 Ironically, he unwittingly brought about her death when he wrote and told her he was coming for her . . . to marry her.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss glanced up at his father sharply.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWas he really . . . . ?\u201d<\/p>\n Ben nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cDoes William, Junior know that Timmy\u2019s his son?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/p>\n \u201cAccording to Hop Sing, he knows right now the way I knew Stacy was my daughter the first moment I set eyes on her,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n \u201cI guess it\u2019s gonna be up to me t\u2019 tell \u2018im,\u201d Hoss said, averting his eyes from Ben\u2019s face to the hands folded in his lap.<\/p>\n \u201cHoss, I\u2019m so sorry . . . . \u201d were the only words Ben could even think of saying.\u00a0\u00a0 He wished with all his heart that he could rise up out of bed and take that big ox of a man sitting in the chair facing him and hold him until the hurt went away, as he did when Hoss, as a boy, came home with a bee sting or a scraped knee.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSon, if you\u2019d rather I . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPa, ain\u2019t no way you\u2019re goin\u2019 into town against Doc Martin\u2019s orders,\u201d Hoss said firmly.\u00a0\u00a0 He rose, wiping his eyes with the heel of his hand.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll be all right, Pa, I promise.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf you need me, Son . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know where t\u2019 find ya,\u201d Hoss said with a smile that never reached his eyes.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI guess I\u2019ll be headin\u2019 off into town.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo!\u201d<\/p>\n Ben and Hoss turned.\u00a0\u00a0 There, standing framed in the open doorway stood Timmy O\u2019Toole, his face pale, his eyes round with shocked horror.\u00a0\u00a0 He bolted into the room, running head long toward Hoss.\u00a0\u00a0 Upon reaching the chair, Timmy climbed into Hoss\u2019 lap, threw his small arms around his neck and clung for dear life.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t wanna go with my pa, Mister Hoss,\u201d he sobbed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI wanna stay HERE.\u00a0\u00a0 I want YOU to be my pa.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss put his arms around the boy and held him close.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTimmy,\u201d he began as the boy\u2019s weeping began to subside, \u201cI want to be your pa more \u2018n just about anything in this world.\u00a0\u00a0 I meant it when I said so yesterday, an\u2019 I mean it now.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He paused, as fresh tears stung his own eyes.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut . . . seein\u2019 as we know who your pa is . . . it may not be possible for ME to be your pa . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNO!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Timmy wrenched himself from Hoss\u2019 embrace and tore out of the room.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d better go after \u2018im, Pa,\u201d Hoss said sadly.<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n Chapter 14<\/p>\n Timmy ran down the steps as fast as his legs could carry him, sobbing wildly.\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy, standing at the second landing side stepped, barely avoiding what could have been an agonizing collision with the young juggernaut.\u00a0\u00a0 Joe, standing at the bottom of the stairs, reached out and grabbed the boy\u2019s forearm.<\/p>\n \u201cHey, Timmy, what\u2019s wrong?\u201d Joe asked.<\/p>\n \u201cLET GO OF ME!\u201d the boy screamed.\u00a0\u00a0 He pulled with all his might, wrenching free of Joe\u2019s grasp.\u00a0\u00a0 He, then, turned heel and ran out the front door in the direction of the barn, leaving Joe and Stacy staring after him in shocked bewilderment.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat wrong with Timmy?\u201d Hop Sing queried, moving from the dining room table toward the steps.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll letcha know,\u201d Joe said, starting for the front door.<\/p>\n \u201cYou stay put, Li\u2019l Brother,\u201d Hoss said from the top landing.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019LL see to Timmy.\u201d<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n Hoss found Timmy lying face down in a pile of hay stacked in one of the unoccupied stalls, sobbing piteously.\u00a0\u00a0 He sat down beside the distraught boy to wait for the storm of weeping and wailing to subside.\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss placed a comforting hand gently on the boy\u2019s shoulder, alternately weeping along with Timmy, and feeling intense anger toward William Caine, Junior for being the boy\u2019s\u00a0 natural father.<\/p>\n \u201cHoss . . . Timmy . . . I was told I\u2019d find you both here.\u201d<\/p>\n Both of them looked up, their faces wet with tears, and saw Miss Tess leaning against the bottom door of the stall, looking down at them.<\/p>\n Timmy immediately scrambled to his feet and ran over to his teacher.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPlease, Miss Tess, don\u2019t let \u2018em send me to my pa, please,\u201d the boy sobbed, wrapping his arms tightly about Tess\u2019 knees.<\/p>\n Tess gently unwrapped Timmy\u2019s arms from around her knees, then carefully knelt down to his eye level.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019s this all about?\u201d she asked gently, looking from Hoss to Timmy, then back to Hoss.<\/p>\n \u201cWe know who Timmy\u2019s pa is,\u201d Hoss said sadly.<\/p>\n \u201cI hate him!\u201d Timmy declared vehemently.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI hate him!\u00a0\u00a0 I don\u2019t want to go with him, I want to stay here with Mister Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTimmy, if your ma were here, she\u2019d be crying just as hard as you are right now,\u201d Tess said in a gentle, yet firm tone.<\/p>\n \u201cW-why?\u201d Timmy sniffled and looked over at her expectantly.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause your ma loved your pa very much,\u201d Tess replied, \u201cas much, I dare say, as she loved YOU.\u00a0\u00a0 The last thing in the world she would have wanted was for you to hate him.\u201d<\/p>\n Timmy silently thought the matter over.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMa told me once that she loved Pa,\u201d he said slowly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut, Pa didn\u2019t love her.\u00a0\u00a0 He left her and me, too.\u00a0\u00a0 I heard Mister Cartwright and Mister Hoss say so.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTimmy, he left \u2018cause he didn\u2019t know \u2018bout you,\u201d Hoss said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYour ma never told him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAll I c\u2019n tell ya is she had her reasons,\u201d Hoss replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t know what they were.\u00a0\u00a0 I don\u2019t think any of us\u2019ll know what they were.\u00a0\u00a0 But, none o\u2019 that matters now, Timmy.\u00a0\u00a0 What matters now is f\u2019r you to meet your pa, an\u2019 git to know him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI won\u2019t!\u201d Timmy declared, stubbornly folding his arms tight across his chest.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI won\u2019t \u2018cause I hate him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou didn\u2019t hate him last night, Baby.\u201d<\/p>\n Timmy and Hoss both looked over at Tess their mouths open.<\/p>\n \u201cRemember that nice man you were talking to, after Mister Hoss went upstairs with Mister Joe and Stacy, to see his pa?\u201d Tess asked.<\/p>\n \u201cThe one with Mister Smith?\u201d Timmy asked in a very small voice.<\/p>\n \u201cYes,\u201d Tess nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cIs . . . is he . . . HE\u2019S my real pa?\u201d Timmy asked.<\/p>\n Tess nodded once again.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe seemed like an awfully nice man to ME, Timmy,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cH-he was nice,\u201d Timmy agreed, his voice breaking under a fresh onslaught of tears.<\/p>\n \u201cI watched him as he listened and talked to you,\u201d Tess continued.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI think he liked YOU a whole lot.\u00a0\u00a0 When he gets to know you better, HE\u2019S going to love you just as much as your ma did, maybe even more, because he\u2019s going to be with you longer.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWill I still get to see Mister Hoss?\u201d Timmy asked.<\/p>\n Tess solemnly shook her head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYour pa lives in a city named Boston, Timmy,\u201d she said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBoston lies more than three thousand miles away, on the other side of the country.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t want to go!\u201d Timmy insisted stubbornly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI love Mister Hoss.\u00a0\u00a0 I don\u2019t want to leave him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTimmy, you can always write to me, and I\u2019ll write back to you,\u201d Hoss said.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t want to live in a city, Mister Hoss.\u00a0\u00a0 I lived in Virginia City with Ma, and it sometimes wasn\u2019t nice,\u201d Timmy said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI want to live here on the Ponderosa, with you, Stacy, Mister Joe, your pa, and Hop Sing.\u00a0\u00a0 Please, can I?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBoston ain\u2019t anything like Virginia City,\u201d Hoss said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cFor one thing, it\u2019s a lot bigger, but that ain\u2019t necessarily a bad thing.\u00a0\u00a0 There\u2019ll be plenty o\u2019 schools, museums, libraries, things like that we don\u2019t have here in Virginia City.\u00a0\u00a0 Timmy, you\u2019re a smart boy when it comes to readin\u2019 and doin\u2019 school work.\u00a0\u00a0 You remind me a lot o\u2019 my older brother, Adam, that way.\u00a0\u00a0 I think that\u2019s one reason why it was so important to your ma that you get as good an education as you could.\u00a0\u00a0 You\u2019ll have lots more opportunity to do that in Boston.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMister Hoss is absolutely right about that, Timmy,\u201d Tess said in agreement.<\/p>\n \u201cBut, Mister Hoss needs me!\u201d the boy cried.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, I do,\u201d Hoss said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut as much as I need you, I think your pa\u2019s gonna need you a lot more, Timmy, and you\u2019re gonna find that you need him, too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIs . . . is his brother, Abel, going to Boston, too?\u201d Timmy asked, not without trepidation.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Timmy,\u201d Tess replied.<\/p>\n \u201cHe hates me!\u00a0\u00a0 I don\u2019t want to be with Abel,\u201d Timmy said fearfully.<\/p>\n \u201cAbel\u2019s been through a lot of grief with his and your father\u2019s pa,\u201d Tess said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe has said and done a lot of mean things to you, and others, because of it.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She fell silent for a moment.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI had a talk with Abel last night Timmy, while you were talking with your pa.\u00a0\u00a0 He knows the mean things he said and did were wrong, and he regrets having done them.\u00a0\u00a0 I think he deserves a second chance.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe,\u201d Timmy allowed reluctantly, \u201cbut, here, I have friends, like Stacy and Molly, and Mister Hoss.\u00a0\u00a0 I don\u2019t know anyone in Boston.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ll be with your pa and Uncle Abel, of course,\u201d Tess said with a smile, \u201cand Someone else will be there, too.\u00a0\u00a0 He\u2019ll be with you as you make the trip, AND he\u2019ll be waiting for you when you get to Boston.\u201d<\/p>\n Timmy looked up at her, a bewildered frown creasing his brow.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHow can anyone be in two places at the same time, Miss Tess?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBeing two places at the same time\u2019s a piece of cake for HIM, Timmy, because He\u2019s actually everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI thought only GOD could be everywhere,\u201d Timmy said.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s exactly right,\u201d Tess said.\u00a0\u00a0 A twinkling white dot of starlight appeared on her chest, where her heart would be.\u00a0\u00a0 It grew and spread, enveloping her in it\u2019s brightness.\u00a0\u00a0 The light became her, and she became the light.<\/p>\n \u201cM-Miss Tess?\u201d Hoss barely managed to stammer.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat ARE you, Miss Tess?\u201d Timmy asked, deeply awed by the change in his school teacher\u2019s appearance.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m an angel sent by God,\u201d Tess said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMy partner and I were sent here to\u00a0 see that a terrible wrong was put right.\u00a0\u00a0 That\u2019s done.\u00a0\u00a0 Another reason I came was to let you know, Timmy, that God is with you.\u00a0\u00a0 No matter where you go, even if you end up alone, God is still with you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy, Miss Tess?\u00a0\u00a0 Why does God want to be with me?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause He loves you, Timmy,\u201d Tess replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe loves you very, very much.\u00a0\u00a0 More than I can possibly say.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEven . . . even that day I said I hated him?\u201d Timmy asked, recalling the terrible afternoon Reverend Hildebrandt had come to pay a visit.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Timmy, even that day,\u201d Tess replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGod knew that you were very upset, and He understood why.\u201d<\/p>\n Timmy looked vastly relieved.<\/p>\n \u201cTimmy, I need to speak to Mister Hoss alone for a few moments,\u201d Tess said gently.<\/p>\n \u201cOk, Miss Tess,\u201d Timmy agreed.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m going up to my room, tell God I\u2019m sorry about the mean things I said to Him the other day.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 With that, he scrambled to his feet and ran back toward the house.<\/p>\n \u201cHoss,\u201d Tess said, once they were alone, \u201cGod has a special message for you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFor me, Miss Tess?\u201d he echoed incredulously.<\/p>\n Tess nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGod is a Father, too,\u201d she said, \u201cto all that lives, breathes, and has being.\u00a0\u00a0 He knows what it is to love a child, and He knows well the pain of losing a child.\u00a0\u00a0 You\u2019ve come to love Timmy as a father, Hoss, and you\u2019re experiencing the pain and grief now of losing that child.\u00a0\u00a0 God knows how you\u2019re feeling right now, and He\u2019s right there with you to hold you up, to give you strength, and to cry right along with you.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss bowed his head, as tears once again freely cascaded down his cheeks.<\/p>\n Tess walked over and put her arms around him.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou did something very courageous, and very unselfish today, Baby,\u201d she murmured, hugging Hoss close.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou let Timmy go.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI . . . I only w-wanted . . . to do th-the . . . the best thing for h-him, M-Miss Tess,\u201d Hoss put his arms around Tess and clung to her for a long moment.<\/p>\n \u201cGod\u2019s also given you a very precious gift to help you through the days to come,\u201d Tess said.<\/p>\n Hoss looked over at her in amazement.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat g-gift is that, Miss Tess?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYour family,\u201d Tess said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYour father, Joe, Stacy, and that wonderful Hop Sing!\u00a0\u00a0 You\u2019ve been there for each of them when they needed you.\u00a0\u00a0 Now it\u2019s YOUR turn to let them be there for you.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss looked up, meeting her eyes.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYeah, Miss Tess, I reckon it IS,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n While Tess spoke to Hoss in the barn, Doctor Paul Martin drove up to the house with William Caine, Junior.\u00a0\u00a0 The latter waited, casting a nervous glance at the house, while the doctor tied his horses to the post in front of the house and retrieved his bag.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s go in, Son,\u201d the doctor said gently.<\/p>\n Bill Caine, Junior nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cY-yeah, let\u2019s get this over with,\u201d he said, his voice trembling.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI . . . I won\u2019t blame the Cartwrights one bit if they order me out of their house without even allowing me to see the boy . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n Paul flashed Bill a warm smile of encouragement.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe Cartwrights aren\u2019t like that, Bill,\u201d he said, \u201cyou\u2019ll see.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe Cartwright opened the front door as the two men approached.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI thought I heard someone driving up,\u201d he said by way of greeting, \u201cplease . . . come in.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThanks, Joe,\u201d the doctor said with a smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI thought I\u2019d come check up on your father.\u00a0\u00a0 Bill, here, asked me for a lift.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPaul?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 It was Ben, seated in the easy chair closest to the fire, his feet propped up on an ottoman.\u00a0\u00a0 He started to rise.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, Ben, don\u2019t get up,\u201d Paul said firmly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou really ought to be upstairs in bed.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI indulged myself by having\u00a0 breakfast in bed this morning,\u201d Ben said with a touch of cantankerousness.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOtherwise . . . I find being down here with my family a lot more healing than lying upstairs alone all day.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJust don\u2019t over do it, Ben,\u201d Paul warned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d like to check your wound and change those bandages.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou need hot water or anything, Doctor?\u201d Joe asked.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think so, Joe,\u201d Paul replied.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy don\u2019t we g\u2019won over to the settee?\u201d Ben suggested, rising stiffly to his feet.\u00a0\u00a0 He slowly made his way across the living room area to the settee and sat down very gingerly.<\/p>\n Paul Martin deftly removed the old bandages and glanced over the wound with a very critical eye.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m very happy to say you\u2019re coming along quite well, Ben,\u201d he said at length.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJoe, would you mind fetching me my bag?\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s over there next to the chair your pa just left.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSure thing, Doc,\u201d Joe agreed.\u00a0\u00a0 He placed the black bag in the doctor\u2019s lands in less than half a minute.<\/p>\n Paul opened his bag and drew out a large clear glass bottle of alcohol.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGrit your teeth, Ben, this is going to sting a bit.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He quickly yet thoroughly swabbed out the wound and applied a fresh, clean bandage.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHow\u2019s Stacy doing?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBoth of us are following your instructions to the letter, Paul,\u201d Ben replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cRight now, she\u2019s upstairs with Timmy . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He glanced up and saw Bill standing next to the sofa, gazing down at him nervously.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBill, I\u2019m glad you\u2019re here,\u201d he said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPlease sit down here next to me.\u00a0\u00a0 We have to talk.\u00a0\u00a0 Joe . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWould you go up and ask Stacy and Timmy to come down here, please?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSure, Pa,\u201d Joe agreed.<\/p>\n \u201cBill . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Ben turned his complete attention on the younger man seated next to him on the settee.<\/p>\n \u201cI know, Mister Cartwright,\u201d Bill said earnestly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt just, all of a sudden hit me when Abel and I got back to the hotel.\u00a0\u00a0 I sat down, did some figuring . . . it all adds up to me being Timmy\u2019s father.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYour father told me everything last night,\u201d he said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAre you here to take the boy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI want to take Timmy very much,\u201d Bill said earnestly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s all I have left of Lotus.\u00a0\u00a0 But, I don\u2019t want to make trouble . . . for Timmy, or for you.\u00a0\u00a0 If Timmy doesn\u2019t want to go, or if you tell me no, and to be honest I don\u2019t think I\u2019d blame you in the least if you DID say no, I won\u2019t force the boy to come with me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBill, I promise you I won\u2019t stand in your way,\u201d Ben said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe two of you need each other, and Boston certainly offers a lot more educational possibilities than Virginia City.\u00a0\u00a0 Timmy\u2019s a very bright young man, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cS-so I\u2019ve been told,\u201d Bill said quietly.<\/p>\n Two pair of quiet footsteps in the stairs caught and held Ben\u2019s and Bill\u2019s attention.\u00a0\u00a0 Timmy, seeing the young man he knew to be his father immediately left Stacy and ran down the rest of the way.\u00a0\u00a0 He wound his way past the arrangement of furniture coming to a stop standing directly in from of his father.<\/p>\n \u201cTimmy, this is your real pa,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou heard Mister Hoss and me talking about him this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPa?\u201d Timmy queried, looking up and meeting his father\u2019s eyes.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWill I go with you now?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTimmy, do you want to come with me?\u201d Bill asked quietly, looking hopefully expectant.<\/p>\n Timmy looked over at Mister Cartwright seated on the settee, and Stacy and Joe standing together at the foot of the steps.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYes, Pa,\u201d he said, turning resolutely back to his father.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI have to get my things and say goodbye to Mister Hoss, but yes, I will go with you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, Timmy,\u201d Bill said, his eyes unusually bright.<\/p>\n \u201cWill we go to Boston now?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll be leaving in three days, Timmy,\u201d Bill said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWould you like to stay here at the Ponderosa until then?\u201d<\/p>\n Timmy shook his head.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister Hoss said I need to get to know YOU, Pa,\u201d he replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI can do that better if I stay at the hotel with you and Uncle Abel.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTimmy, why don\u2019t you go out and tell Mister Hoss goodbye, while I run up and fetch your things?\u201d Joe offered.<\/p>\n \u201cOk,\u201d with that Timmy ran out through the front door.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe, Timmy\u2019s bag\u2019s already packed,\u201d Stacy told her brother.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ll find it in Hoss\u2019 room at the foot of the bed.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThanks, Stacy, I\u2019ll be right back.\u201d<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n Timmy ran to the barn and found Mister Hoss there alone, sitting on the hay bale next to the stall occupied by Blaze Face.\u00a0\u00a0 Miss Tess was no where in sight.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cMister Hoss?\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss glanced up sharply at the sound of the child\u2019s inquiring voice.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere\u2019s Miss Tess?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGone,\u201d Hoss replied.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cProbably to her next assignment.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh,\u201d Timmy said in a small voice.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMister Hoss?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, Timmy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m going with my pa,\u201d he said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 One large stray tear slipped over his eye lid and rolled unchecked down his cheek.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m going to be with him at the hotel until we leave for Boston in three days, so I can get to know him.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss rose.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI think that\u2019s a real fine idea,\u201d he agreed.<\/p>\n \u201cI . . . I guess this is goodbye, then . . . . \u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, I reckon it is.\u201d<\/p>\n Timmy ran over to Hoss and threw his arms tightly around his knees.\u00a0\u00a0 The boy held on, clinging almost for dear life.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThank you, Mister Hoss, for looking after me,\u201d he said quickly.\u00a0\u00a0 With that he ran back out of the barn, and into the house.<\/p>\n \u201cBye, Timmy,\u201d Hoss whispered, his voice breaking on the boy\u2019s name.\u00a0\u00a0 He remained in the barn until, at long last, he heard the doctor\u2019s buggy leaving.\u00a0\u00a0 When Hoss entered the house, he found Stacy and Joe at the front door waiting.<\/p>\n \u201cWe thought maybe you could use a hug, Big Brother,\u201d Stacy said, looking up at him earnestly.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re right, Li\u2019l Sister . . . an\u2019 you, too, Baby Brother,\u201d Hoss replied.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re here, Big Brother,\u201d Joe said quietly, as he and Stacy both put their arms around him.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t you dare forget that.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss put one arm around Joe, the other around Stacy, and held on for a very long time . . . .<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n Epilogue<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cPa!\u00a0\u00a0 Hoss!\u00a0\u00a0 Stacy!\u201d Joe called, as he stepped through the front door.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCompany!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPlease, don\u2019t get up, Mister Cartwright,\u201d Bill Caine said, entering the house behind Joe.\u00a0\u00a0 His brother, Abel, followed, with Timmy firmly holding his hand.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe can\u2019t stay long . . . we have a stage to catch.\u00a0\u00a0 We wanted to stop in and say good-by.\u201d<\/p>\n Young William Caine was returning to Boston, with his young son, newly named Timothy O\u2019Toole Caine, and his brother, Abel.\u00a0\u00a0 He had arranged for Lucas Milburn to oversee the disposal of his father\u2019s house and possessions.\u00a0\u00a0 The proceeds would be wired to him in Boston, and placed in accounts toward Abel\u2019s and Timmy\u2019s futures.<\/p>\n \u201cI certainly wish you all the best,\u201d Ben said sincerely, shaking Bill\u2019s hand.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf you need anything . . . anything, at all, you just let me know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, Mister Cartwright, I will,\u201d Bill promised.<\/p>\n \u201cAbel, I never got the chance to say thank you,\u201d Stacy said, \u201cfor saving my pa and brother.\u00a0\u00a0 You must have been the unexpected help coming to the rescue that Jonathan told me about.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMiss Tess\u2019 partner,\u201d Abel said thoughtfully.<\/p>\n \u201cMiss Tess is one, too?\u201d Stacy asked.<\/p>\n Abel nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cI should\u2019ve known.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cStacy, I\u2019m sorry about that fight in the school yard,\u201d Abel apologized contritely.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI said a lot o\u2019 stupid things I wish I hadn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry, too, Abel,\u201d Stacy apologized with equal sincerity.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI DID start the whole thing, after all.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTimmy, you keep right on studyin\u2019 real hard an\u2019 doin\u2019 your homework,\u201d Hoss said, with a wistful smile, \u201can\u2019 make sure you mind your pa.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI will, Mister Hoss,\u201d Timmy promised.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGuess what?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPa said that when we get to Boston, and get ourselves settled, he\u2019s going to get me a pony and take me for riding lessons,\u201d Timmy said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cUncle Abel can learn to ride, too, if he wants.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s wonderful, Timmy,\u201d Hoss said.<\/p>\n \u201cWill you write to me, Mister Hoss?\u201d Timmy asked.<\/p>\n \u201cI will, if you write to me,\u201d Hoss replied.<\/p>\n \u201cPromise?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI promise.\u00a0\u00a0 How \u2018bout YOU?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI promise, too, Mister Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBill, I apologize for that fracas between US the other day,\u201d Joe said contritely.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI was angry, and I said a lot of stupid things I had no business sayin\u2019.\u00a0\u00a0 You had every right in the world to deck me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cApology accepted,\u201d Bill said sincerely.\u00a0\u00a0 He reached into the inside pocket of his jacket and drew out the diary that had belonged to Lotus O\u2019Toole.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJoe, I\u2019d like you to continue your work on translating the Caltopian,\u201d he said, placing the book in Joe\u2019s hands.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t edit, or keep anything back.\u00a0\u00a0 I want to read everything, the good and the bad.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll start work on it right after supper tonight,\u201d Joe promised.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks, Joe,\u201d Bill said, shaking his hand.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re welcome, and good luck to all of you.\u201d<\/p>\n The grandfather clock in the living room struck the half hour.<\/p>\n \u201cAbel . . . Timmy, we need to move along,\u201d Bill said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe have a stage to catch.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cComing, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n Abel grinned.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMe, too, Big Brother.\u201d<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n That evening, Roy Coffee joined the Cartwright Family for supper.\u00a0\u00a0 The bullet brand, inflicted by the late Judge Caine\u2019s pistol, had completely healed.\u00a0\u00a0 He was gratified to see his old friend, Ben, well on the way to recovery, and Stacy as well.<\/p>\n \u201cHop Sing, as usual, you\u2019ve outdone yourself,\u201d Roy complimented the chef with a contented smile.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat was a wonderful meal.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you,\u201d Hop Sing said, beaming.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThank you very much.\u00a0\u00a0 Now you go in living room.\u00a0\u00a0 Hop Sing bring coffee.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou heard the man,\u201d Ben said rising stiffly.<\/p>\n The others seated at the table followed suit and made their way toward the living room.<\/p>\n \u201cYou and Stacy seem to be getting around a lot better,\u201d Roy noted.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s because they\u2019re both gettin\u2019 plenty o\u2019 rest, takin\u2019 their medicine, and swillin\u2019 a lot o\u2019 Hop Sing\u2019s chicken soup,\u201d Hoss said.<\/p>\n \u201cPa and I are keeping each other to the straight and narrow when it comes to getting plenty of rest,\u201d Stacy said, with a meaningful glance at her father.<\/p>\n \u201cThat we are,\u201d Ben agreed wholeheartedly, as he gingerly easing himself on the sofa next to Stacy.\u00a0\u00a0 He turned to the sheriff, seated in the easy chair on his left.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cRoy, how\u2019s Sam doing?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019ll be outta action awhile, Ben,\u201d Roy said gravely, \u201cbut he\u2019s comin\u2019 right along.\u00a0\u00a0 That Sally Tyler, though . . . . \u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He shook his head in wonderment and awe.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s been over seein\u2019 all the clean-up an\u2019 repair to the Silver Dollar.\u00a0\u00a0 She told me yesterday, they expect t\u2019 be open again in two or three weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m glad to hear that,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n \u201cI understand Miss Tess left pretty abruptly, lock, stock, and barrel,\u201d Joe said, taking the red leather easy chair once favored by his mother, Marie.<\/p>\n \u201cSuch is the way o\u2019 angels, Little Brother,\u201d Hoss said, smiling at the memory of his own conversation with Miss Tess.<\/p>\n \u201cMiss Tess is an ANGEL?\u201d Joe looked over at his older brother, openly skeptical.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAs in . . . an angel from . . . . \u201d \u00a0\u00a0He pointed upward.<\/p>\n \u201cYep,\u201d Hoss replied.<\/p>\n \u201cYou joshin\u2019 me, Big Brother?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNope.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJonathan\u2019s an angel, too,\u201d Stacy said.<\/p>\n \u201cYou mean that ranch hand whut looked like Joe?\u201d Hoss looked over at his sister as he might someone who had just sprouted purple horns and a halo to match.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAn angel?\u00a0\u00a0 I know fer sure YOU gotta be joshin\u2019, Little Sister.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHey!\u00a0\u00a0 What\u2019s THAT supposed to mean?\u201d Joe demanded indignantly, glaring at his older brother.<\/p>\n \u201cIt means you\u2019ve been insulted, Li\u2019l Brother,\u201d Hoss said with a smug, complacent smile.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t care whether you guys believe me or not,\u201d Stacy said.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI know for a fact that Jonathan Smith\u2019s an angel.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI believe you, Stacy,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n \u201cYou DO, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n Ben nodded.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cONLY an angel could have possibly stopped YOU from rushing in where they themselves fear to tread,\u201d he said with a smile.<\/p>\n \u201cActually, Pa, Jonathan told me angels DO rush into those kinds of places,\u201d Stacy said, smiling back.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThey just don\u2019t do it quite the same way I do.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow do they rush into those kinds of places, Stacy?\u201d Roy asked, bemused by the talk of angels.<\/p>\n \u201cThey pray.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI hope you remember that next time you\u2019re tempted to rush in where angels fear to tread, Kid,\u201d Joe said.<\/p>\n \u201cYou, too, Grandpa.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTouch\u00e9,\u201d Joe responded with a grin.<\/p>\n \u201cI believe Miss Tess is an angel, too,\u201d Ben said thoughtfully.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe has a very special way about her the way she knows exactly what to say, and when.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe seemed to know an awful lot about God and Heaven, too,\u201d Hoss said.<\/p>\n \u201cShe sure did,\u201d Roy agreed, remembering how she spoke of both those subjects at Lotus O\u2019Toole\u2019s funeral observances.<\/p>\n \u201cHey, anyone capable of inspiring my sister to do her homework willingly HAS to be an angel,\u201d Joe teased.<\/p>\n Stacy responded by sticking her tongue out at him.<\/p>\n Hop Sing entered the living room with the silver coffee service and five porcelain cups and saucers.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLittle Joe . . . Miss Stacy behave,\u201d he admonished the two younger Cartwright children.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCompany.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAny idea as to who\u2019ll be taking Miss Tess\u2019 place, Roy?\u201d Ben asked.<\/p>\n \u201cHer name\u2019s Monica,\u201d Roy said slowly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo last name, just Monica.\u00a0\u00a0 I imagine you kids\u2019ll be callin\u2019 her Miss Monica.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He directed the last comment to Stacy.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s Irish, by the sound o\u2019 her, and greener \u2018n vault filled with paper money by her own admission.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSurely the school board\u2019s NOT going to approve hiring a green kid just out of school, with no experience,\u201d Ben protested.<\/p>\n \u201cActually, they DID,\u201d Roy said, \u201cseein\u2019 as how Miss Tess gave her a glowin\u2019 recommendation.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m gonna miss\u00a0 Miss Tess,\u201d Stacy said thoughtfully.<\/p>\n \u201cI am, too,\u201d Ben said quietly.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHer AND Jonathan.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He fell silent.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHowever much I DO miss \u2018em, I don\u2019t want to SEE them again, ever.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally, Pa?\u201d Hoss queried.<\/p>\n \u201cReally!\u201d Ben declared emphatically.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAngels don\u2019t usually put in an appearance unless there\u2019s a lot of serious trouble afoot.\u00a0\u00a0 Frankly, when it comes to trouble, I\u2019d prefer to stick with the everyday, run of the mill kind that lies within OUR power to handle.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve gotta point there, Pa,\u201d Hoss agreed.<\/p>\n \u201cAmen!\u201d Joe, Stacy, and Roy Coffee chorused in unison.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The End<\/p>\n March 2005<\/p>\n Revised July 2008<\/p>\n Next Story in the Bloodlines Series:<\/strong><\/p>\n The Guardian<\/a> Notes:<\/p>\n [i] I Corinthians 13:\u00a0 1 – 8<\/p>\n *********<\/p>\n All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are property of their respective owners.\u00a0 The original characters and plot are property of the author.\u00a0\u00a0 The author is not in any way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise, and makes no money from this work.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 No copyright infringement is intended.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
\nThe Lo Mein Affair<\/a>
\nThe Wedding<\/a>
\nSacrificial Lamb<\/a>
\nPoltergeist II<\/a>
\nIndependence Day<\/a>
\nVirginia City Detour<\/a>
\nThe Guardian<\/a>
\nLi’l One<\/a>
\nYoung Cartwrights in Love<\/a>
\nSan Francisco Revisited<\/a>
\nThere But for the Grace of God<\/a>
\nBetween Life and Death<\/a>
\nOrenna<\/a>
\nClarissa Returns<\/a>
\nTrial by Fire<\/a>
\nMark of Kane<\/a><\/p>\n
\nYoung Cartwrights in Love<\/a>
\nSan Francisco Revisited<\/a>
\nThere But for the Grace of God<\/a>
\nBetween Life and Death<\/a>
\nOrenna<\/a>
\nClarissa Returns<\/a>
\nTrial by Fire<\/a>
\nMark of Kane<\/a><\/p>\n