{"id":9523,"date":"2014-08-06T18:24:57","date_gmt":"2014-08-06T22:24:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=9523"},"modified":"2025-02-18T19:11:38","modified_gmt":"2025-02-19T00:11:38","slug":"in-absentia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=9523","title":{"rendered":"In Absentia (by Belle)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0 The boys have been forced to accept a heartrending loss.\u00a0 Is it time to move on?\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

Rating:\u00a0 K+ (15,750 words) <\/em><\/p>\n

In Absentia Series:<\/strong><\/p>\n

In Absentia<\/a>
\nRestitution
\n<\/a>All Through the Night <\/a>
\nSignificance<\/a>
\nHomesick<\/a><\/p>\n

In Absentia<\/strong><\/p>\n

by Belle<\/p>\n

Adam had rarely felt such a strong desire to end the day with a beer or two . . .\u00a0 or three.\u00a0 Granted, meetings with the family lawyer were never fun, but this appointment had been particularly rough.\u00a0 The weight of the documents he carried pulled at him; they might have pulled him straight to the ground if he allowed it.\u00a0 He paused, willing his breath to even out, commanding his heart rate to slow and regain its natural rhythm.\u00a0 Finding his self-control, he headed to the barbershop to keep his next appointment.<\/p>\n

He spied Joe leaning against the red-and-white pole.\u00a0 Looking at the eleven-year-old, Adam was hard pressed to imagine anyone more in need of the barber\u2019s services than his little brother.\u00a0 Chestnut curls covered Joe\u2019s ears, brushed his eyelashes, and very nearly touched his shoulders.\u00a0 Coupled with the disheveled clothes apparently outgrown overnight, Joe closely resembled a rag doll.\u00a0 There was, however, nothing forlorn about his expression.\u00a0 As soon as he caught sight of his oldest brother, Little Joe was the very picture of charm and affection.<\/p>\n

Adam bit the inside of his cheek in order to maintain his steely-eyed older brother demeanor.\u00a0 Little Joe was not even slightly intimidated.\u00a0 Leaning against a porch upright, Adam looked the kid over.\u00a0 Responding to a \u201cturn-around\u201d signal, Little Joe rolled his eyes and pivoted on the spot.<\/p>\n

\u201cLooks like you should be inside taking care of that mop rather than out here holding down the boardwalk,\u201d Adam drawled.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, sir\u2014not today,\u201d Joe grinned.<\/p>\n

The kid is getting sassier every day.\u00a0 <\/em>Adam held out a hand for Joe\u2019s offering.\u00a0 Glancing over the history paper before handing it back, Adam winked and caught the boy in a brief one-armed embrace before grabbing a hunk of hair.\u00a0 He gave Joe\u2019s head a gentle shake.<\/p>\n

\u201cPursuant to our agreement, it appears you have earned another reprieve.\u201d\u00a0 Adam noticed as he spoke that Mrs. Caswell was leading her son out of the barbershop.\u00a0 Young Ethan had been shorn like a spring lamb and was casting resentful glances at Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut . . .\u201d Adam waited until he was certain he had Joe\u2019s full attention, \u201cno matter what, you get a real haircut before the trip.\u201d\u00a0 Joe nodded vigorously.<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay, then.\u201d\u00a0 Adam straightened up.\u00a0 \u201cHave you put our gear in the wagon?\u201d\u00a0 More head nodding.\u00a0 \u201cGo on down and wait for me.\u201d\u00a0 Joe sprinted off.<\/p>\n

He was enjoying the sight of Little Joe\u2019s exuberance when his thoughts were interrupted by a little disdainful huff along with something muttered not quite under the breath.<\/p>\n

\u201cSpoiled!\u201d<\/p>\n

He touched his fingers to the brim of his hat in acknowledgment of her presence and remark.\u00a0 Keeping his smile polite, he lifted one eyebrow as if in mild curiosity and held her gaze until Mrs. Caswell blushed.\u00a0 Without saying another word, she grabbed Ethan by the hand and hustled him down the street.\u00a0 Contemplating her retreat, Adam missed Roy Coffee\u2019s approach.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat woman doesn\u2019t know what she\u2019s talkin\u2019 about, son.\u201d\u00a0 Roy put a hand on his shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re doin\u2019 a good job.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks,\u201d Adam headed to the wagon.<\/p>\n

\u201cThose your court papers?\u201d\u00a0 Roy asked. He received a silent nod. \u201cSeven years\u2014it hardly seems possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

It hardly seems possible.\u00a0 <\/em>Adam awoke every day to the reality of that impossibility, but he couldn\u2019t agree more.\u00a0 He cleared his throat.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe judge will be here in a few weeks . . . after Little Joe\u2019s birthday, thankfully.\u00a0 We\u2019ll need you there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, Adam.\u00a0 You know I\u2019ll be there.\u201d\u00a0 Arriving at the wagon, the men deliberately brightened to greet the youngster bouncing impatiently in the seat.<\/p>\n

\u201cLittle Joe, you ready to see Hoss?\u00a0 You tell him \u2018howdy\u2019 for me.\u201d\u00a0 Roy patted the boy\u2019s knee and then stepped back onto the walk as Adam climbed into place.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll tell him, sheriff,\u201d Joe whooped.\u00a0 \u201cC\u2019mon, Adam!\u00a0 Hoss is waiting.\u201d\u00a0 He waved good-bye to Roy before turning his attention back to his brother.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan I drive?\u201d\u00a0 When Adam merely lifted an eyebrow, Joe quickly amended his request.<\/p>\n

\u201cMay I drive?\u201d\u00a0 Receiving the reins, Joe started the team down the road, concentrating on keeping the animals under control amidst the crowd of vehicles and horses.<\/p>\n

Adam balanced the satchel on his knees, careful to hide its contents from his little brother.\u00a0 It\u2019s the right thing to do. We need to move on.\u00a0 <\/em>Yet, no matter how often he repeated the words out loud or in his head, he felt a little more broken-hearted each time. In a few weeks, Adam Cartwright would petition the court to declare his father dead in absentia<\/em>.<\/p>\n

XXXXXXXXXX<\/p>\n

Hoss raked the garden thoroughly, clearing away the weeds and tossing\u00a0them onto the compost heap\u2014all the while listening for the sounds announcing his brothers’ homecoming. He decided that the late carrots could be covered with straw and harvested after the frost had sweetened them a mite.\u00a0 So much to do<\/em>.\u00a0 When he was just a little feller, he hadn’t appreciated everything that went into keeping a house in order, running a ranch\u00a0 . . . just seeing that food was on the table every single day.\u00a0 Well, the last seven years had been a lesson in that kind of appreciation.\u00a0 Hoss didn’t believe he\u2019d ever again take much for granted.<\/p>\n

Deciding the garden was in good enough shape, he headed into the house.\u00a0 He swept the ashes out of the main fireplace and started a fire.\u00a0 It wouldn’t do for Adam and Little Joe to be greeted by a cold house.\u00a0 He’d already checked their bedrooms and made sure there was oil in the lamps.\u00a0 It was always nice to have the house warm and bright.\u00a0 With the two of them gone most of every week, Hoss had gotten into the habit of spending a lot of time in the bunkhouse with Jeb and Shorty.\u00a0 Less lonesome.\u00a0 Back downstairs, he spotted the reins he’d repaired still lying on the dining table.\u00a0 He grabbed them up.\u00a0 It’d take only a few minutes to put ’em back in the tack room.<\/p>\n

Hanging the reins alongside the rest of the equipment, Hoss\u00a0paused and closed his eyes.\u00a0 His memory was always at its sharpest, most painful here.<\/p>\n

“Pa, do you have to go?”<\/em><\/p>\n

Ben gave the cinch he was tightening a final hard tug.\u00a0 Holding out his arms, he pulled the eleven-year old to his chest and held him quietly.\u00a0 He gave Hoss a couple of pats on the back for good measure and led his horse out of the barn.<\/em><\/p>\n

“It’s like I explained last night, son.\u00a0 Something important has come up.\u00a0 Trust me, I want this over and done with as quickly as possible.”<\/em><\/p>\n

“Will you be home for Little Joe’s birthday, Pa?”<\/em><\/p>\n

“I don’t see why not.\u00a0 You be a good boy and help take care of your little brother.”\u00a0 Ben ruffled Hoss’s hair before swinging into the saddle.\u00a0 “Little Joe didn’t wake up when I kissed him good-bye.\u00a0 So, if he doesn’t remember, you be sure to tell him.”\u00a0\u00a0He’d smiled and waved before kicking his horse into a trot.<\/em><\/p>\n

Then, Hoss\u00a0had run\u00a0to the edge of the yard after his father’s horse, waving good-bye until Ben was out of sight.<\/em><\/p>\n

“Hoss!\u00a0 Hoss!\u00a0 We’re home!!”\u00a0 Joe was hollerin’ for him.<\/p>\n

Hoss sniffed and swiped his shirt sleeve across his face before answering.\u00a0 “Keep your pants on, Shortshanks.\u00a0 I’m coming.”<\/p>\n

Don’t worry, Pa.\u00a0 I tell him every day<\/em>.<\/p>\n

XXXXXXXXXX<\/p>\n

Joe set the table with the blue enameled tin plates and cups.\u00a0 They hadn’t used the fancy red and white dishes for ages.\u00a0 Adam said tin plates and cups were less trouble and safer around Joe.<\/p>\n

Dinner was almost ready. The\u00a0ham slices\u00a0were warm, and Hoss was nearly finished frying the potatoes.\u00a0 There was a little bread\u00a0left, and miracle of miracles, a few of Shaughnessy’s dried apple pies had survived the week.\u00a0 She would send them home with more bread and baked goods tomorrow.\u00a0 Adam said Shaughnessy had a list of chores for Joe a mile long so he’d be plenty busy while his brothers repaired her roof.\u00a0 Joe was hoping she wouldn’t try showing him how to darn socks again.\u00a0 The previous Saturday, she’d threatened to teach him to mend his own clothes.\u00a0 She was kidding, of course . . . probably.<\/p>\n

After dinner, they’d all settle in.\u00a0 He and Hoss would play checkers while Adam read.\u00a0 Maybe they could persuade him to play his guitar.\u00a0 Joe grinned to himself; he was pretty sure he could talk Adam into singing.<\/p>\n

It was nice to be home.\u00a0 Joe blamed himself for their current situation even though his brothers told him not to worry.\u00a0 Hoss had announced when he turned fourteen\u00a0that he was quitting school.\u00a0 Told Adam that he was big enough to do a man’s work, and he wasn’t cut out for school anyways.\u00a0 Even though Adam argued and pleaded, he\u00a0hadn’t budged.\u00a0 Hoss and school had come to a parting of the ways.<\/p>\n

It worked out real well for Adam to have Hoss there to help.\u00a0 But Joe could tell\u00a0it hurt Adam that Hoss hadn’t finished school.\u00a0 It made his oldest brother even more determined that Joe was going to get an education.\u00a0 Since everyone but Joe agreed that an eight year old couldn’t ride back and forth to school on his own, and they couldn’t spare anyone to ride with him, they’d boarded him in town with Mrs. Carruthers.<\/p>\n

Joe hadn’t meant to cause trouble.\u00a0 In fact, he’d do anything he could to help his brothers.\u00a0 It was just so hard.\u00a0 For that first year or so, he knew he was needed on the Ponderosa a lot more than he was needed in town at school.\u00a0 When he couldn’t stand being away a minute longer, he’d try to hitch a ride in the right direction.\u00a0 Most of the time, he’d just start walking.\u00a0 It got so that folks from Virginia City started expecting to see Little Joe trudging down the dusty road.\u00a0 Sometimes, they’d scoop him up and take him back to town.\u00a0 Lots of times, he was able to convince them to take him home.\u00a0 Naturally, Adam and Hoss had been beside themselves.\u00a0 They’d given him a couple of ‘necessary talks’ that even Joe knew were half-hearted.\u00a0\u00a0But he could see that disciplining him hurt his brothers, so Joe had made up his mind to stay in town and do as he was told.<\/p>\n

No matter what his teacher and Mrs. Carruthers told Adam, Joe had done his very best.\u00a0 He hadn\u2019t moped a bit, and he definitely hadn\u2019t pretended to be sick.\u00a0 Things got a whole lot easier when Adam moved into town to take over managing the freight company for Mr. Willis.\u00a0 Adam said they could use the cash and keeping Joe in school was just a side benefit.\u00a0 Now, he and Adam shared a room in the boarding house Monday through Thursday and came home on the weekends.\u00a0 Some of the older boys at school picked on him no end for being such a ‘baby.\u201d\u00a0 Joe could live with that nonsense.\u00a0 He’d figured out something more important a long time ago.<\/p>\n

People left when you weren’t looking.<\/em><\/p>\n

XXXXXXXXXX<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“That’s three times, punkin,”\u00a0Hoss drawled as Little Joe hastily tried to smother a huge yawn.\u00a0 “You know the rules.”<\/p>\n

Joe rolled his eyes, but otherwise responded appropriately.\u00a0 He’d gotten real comfortable on the settee, feet propped on the low table, staring at the fire.\u00a0 He considered pleading for a little more time downstairs.\u00a0 Unfortunately, although Adam was smiling, Hoss’s attitude was no-nonsense.\u00a0 With a gusty sigh, he levered himself to his feet and trudged\u00a0toward the stairs.<\/p>\n

“Move it along, boy.\u00a0 Got lots to do tomorrow,” Hoss fussed.<\/p>\n

Another glance at Adam revealed no help was forthcoming. \u00a0Adam merely shrugged and winked.\u00a0 Dang it.<\/em>\u00a0 When they were in town, Joe answered first to Adam; at the Ponderosa, Hoss was in charge.<\/p>\n

The brothers waited until they could hear Joe’s bedroom door close.<\/p>\n

“Want some coffee?”\u00a0 asked Hoss.<\/p>\n

“Sure, thanks.”\u00a0 Adam abandoned\u00a0his book\u00a0to retrieve the satchel he’d left on the desk top.\u00a0 Returning to the main room, he carefully removed the stack of papers and sorted them into small piles on the table top.<\/p>\n

“Ready to explain everything to me?”\u00a0Hoss handed over the coffee before settling himself on the settee.<\/p>\n

Adam closed his eyes briefly then shifted to the edge of his chair, gesturing at the documents as he spoke.<\/p>\n

“We’re petitioning the court for a death certificate even though we’ve never found Pa’s body . . .”\u00a0 Adam’s voice hitched a little, and Hoss nodded sympathetically.<\/p>\n

“He’s been missing seven years, and we’ve heard nothing from him since his last telegram.\u00a0 That stack of papers is from all the sheriffs we’ve asked for help along with the reports from the men we hired to look for Pa.\u00a0 This stack represents all of the newspapers in which we placed advertisements and offers of reward for information.\u00a0 Those are the receipts for notices\u00a0we’ve placed in newspapers announcing the petition and asking Ben Cartwright to come forward.\u00a0 Despite everything we’ve tried, no one has seen him or heard from him in seven years.”<\/p>\n

“The lawyer thinks this will be enough for the judge?”\u00a0 Adam wiped his hand over his face and nodded.\u00a0 “So, what happens . . . after?”<\/p>\n

“The entire ‘estate’ is ours without encumbrance.”\u00a0 Adam paused at Hoss’s look of confusion.\u00a0 “We can do whatever we think best with the ranch, the accounts, and the investments.\u00a0 No one else will have any say.”<\/p>\n

“That’d be a nice change,”\u00a0Hoss grunted.\u00a0 Adam didn’t argue.\u00a0 The last seven years of financial chaos and outsiders intruding in their grief had been beyond frustrating.<\/p>\n

Soon after the boys had received the final telegram from their father, the weather had taken an abrupt turn for the worse.\u00a0 When\u00a0Ben Cartwright\u00a0had failed to return as expected, no one had been unduly alarmed.\u00a0 It was assumed that he had merely been delayed.\u00a0 By the time the boys were truly alarmed, an early winter’s fury made it impossible to organize much of a search.<\/p>\n

Once winter had settled in, the boys were well and truly stuck with little more than each other and their worry to keep them company.\u00a0 Fortunately, Jeb and Shorty had decided that the Ponderosa was as good a place as any to spend the winter.\u00a0 With their help and the supplies on hand, they’d managed.<\/p>\n

The spring thaw brought renewed hope Pa would return.\u00a0 It soon\u00a0became apparent friends and neighbors didn’t share that hope, and Adam had to add fending off attempts to foster out his little brothers to his now very long list of responsibilities.\u00a0 If Abel Stoddard hadn’t arrived unannounced in the late spring, Adam felt sure things might have turned out very differently.<\/p>\n

Adam’s ruminations ended abruptly when Hoss thumped his fist on the table.<\/p>\n

“It ain\u2019t right.\u00a0 Nobody really believed that Pa hadn’t just taken off for good or done something to hurt himself.”\u00a0 Hoss fumed at the memory.\u00a0 “That there telegram proves that he meant to come back.\u00a0 It says so, clear as day. ‘Boys, all is well.\u00a0 I’ll be home soon.\u00a0 Love, Pa.’\u00a0That ain’t what someone says if he don’t want to come back.\u00a0 If we’d had more help, we might could have found him.”<\/p>\n

“I know, Hoss, we tried . . . we argued.”<\/p>\n

“Not only that,”\u00a0Hoss punched a large finger toward Adam’s chest.\u00a0 “Everyone could see that he’d snapped out of his misery over Mama dyin’.\u00a0 Hadn’t he organized the search party when Little Joe wandered off?\u00a0 Wasn’t he the one who knew where to look?\u00a0 It was Pa that found Little Joe at Eagle’s Nest and carried him down.\u00a0 That ain’t someone who’d given up.”\u00a0 Hoss was nearly shouting.\u00a0 Adam expected to see Joe downstairs at any moment.\u00a0 Adam quickly crossed over to the settee and placed his hand on Hoss’s trembling shoulder.<\/p>\n

“Hoss, we both know Pa would have come home if he could have,” Adam soothed.\u00a0 “We did everything we could think to do to find him.\u00a0 I know Pa did everything he could do to return.\u00a0 We all did our best.\u00a0 Pa always said that’s all you can expect of a man.”<\/p>\n

“Adam,” his brother whispered, “I don’t wanna let go.\u00a0 It kills me that so many folks don’t even give Ben Cartwright a thought anymore . . . that they don’t remember him.”<\/p>\n

“It’s all right, Hoss.\u00a0 We remember.”<\/p>\n

XXXXXXXXX<\/p>\n

Joe figured he wouldn’t have to eavesdrop so much if his brothers would just go on and tell him stuff.\u00a0 They still thought of him as a little kid to be protected.\u00a0 If they’d asked, Joe would have told them not to bother.\u00a0 He could handle harsh truths a lot better than the stomach-turning anxiety of not knowing.<\/p>\n

He’d listened to their entire conversation from his hiding spot at the top of the stars.\u00a0 From long practice, he knew just when to vamoose into his room to avoid detection.\u00a0 He’d slipped back into bed mere moments before hearing his brothers\u2019 footsteps in the hallway.\u00a0 Burrowing down into the blankets, he shut his eyes waiting for the inevitable.\u00a0 As predicted, the door eased open, and Joe could hear one of them stepping inside.\u00a0 Probably Hoss, the big ol’ worry wart<\/em>.\u00a0 When the door clicked closed, Joe breathed easier and shifted around.<\/p>\n

So, it was gonna be official.\u00a0 His pa was dead.\u00a0 Not just gone, but dead and never coming back.\u00a0 Adam had said it would be all right ’cause they’d remember.\u00a0 He had to know that Joe didn’t remember anything\u2014not really.\u00a0 What he thought he remembered about Pa was a jigsaw puzzle of stories, descriptions, and a blurry face he recognized in his dreams.\u00a0 In fact, it seemed that Joe remembered his\u00a0pa best when he wasn’t trying to remember him at all.\u00a0 Little pieces of memories would come upon him now and then like wisps of smoke carried by the breeze.\u00a0 There and gone.\u00a0 Oddly, Joe sometimes felt a little pull of something long forgotten when Adam smiled a certain way, or when Hoss fussed at him to finish his dinner.<\/p>\n

It was too bad that Pa was really dead.\u00a0 Joe had always figured that he would recognize him somehow when he saw him.<\/p>\n

XXXXXXXXXX<\/p>\n

Adam thumbed through the bills in his wallet, calculating the remaining expenses for their trip.\u00a0 Content that there would be enough to travel in comfort, if not style, Adam paid for his purchases and tucked the money away.<\/p>\n

Hefting the bundle of mail, he returned to his office.\u00a0 Vegetables before dessert<\/em>.\u00a0 Adam attended to the business correspondence before allowing himself the pleasure of opening the package from Boston.<\/p>\n

As expected, his grandfather had sent Joe a birthday gift along with a separate note for Hoss and a nice long letter for Adam.\u00a0 He turned Joe\u2019s parcel over and considered its weight and size.\u00a0 He couldn\u2019t guess what might be inside, but he was certain that Joe would be delighted with the gift.\u00a0 Should I give it to him now or when we get back?<\/em> \u00a0Joe\u2019s birthday would occur while they were traveling.\u00a0 Maybe it would be better to wait.\u00a0 The package would be a nice surprise when they got home.\u00a0 Adam slid the parcel into a desk drawer.\u00a0 Pulling out his own letter, he settled back in the chair to read.<\/p>\n

It was both a pleasure and comfort to correspond with someone he could trust implicitly.\u00a0 Adam and his grandfather had forged a strong bond during the year Abel Stoddard had lived at the Ponderosa.\u00a0 One of the many hard lessons learned since his father\u2019s disappearance was to never take such a relationship for granted.<\/p>\n

When Abel had arrived late in the spring of \u201948, he couldn\u2019t have come at a better or worse time depending on how a person looked at things.\u00a0 Overwhelmed by work, worry, and the winter\u2019s isolation, Adam would admit later he had been nearly at the end of his rope.\u00a0 Hoss\u2019s characteristic sunny demeanor had been considerably dimmed while Joe had started acting more as if he were three years old instead of five.<\/p>\n

As far as ranching went, Abel could barely tell the difference between a cow\u2019s horns and its hind end.\u00a0 But the old sea captain did know how to take charge of a situation.<\/p>\n

Ben Cartwright had disappeared as a prosperous man.\u00a0 If he\u2019d been less prosperous, there likely would have been less trouble.\u00a0 By that spring, the boys had discovered that a person\u2019s disappearance made many things far more difficult for the folks left behind than a death would have caused.<\/p>\n

While Ben was missing, the judge insisted that his assets be frozen.\u00a0 Thus, the boys were unable to access his bank accounts or investments.\u00a0 They were prevented from selling, leasing, or borrowing against any part of the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n

Worse, although Adam had celebrated his eighteenth birthday in May, the circuit judge wasn\u2019t willing to give him guardianship over his own brothers.\u00a0 Abel\u2019s arrival in Virginia City coincided with a huge fight between a handful of leading citizens over who should be granted guardianship of Hoss and Joe.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, Abel had thoroughly considered the potential problems during his journey west.\u00a0 He wasn\u2019t unduly surprised by the ruckus.\u00a0 In fact, he\u2019d come well prepared\u2014with a San Francisco lawyer and old, but important, letters.<\/p>\n

The lawyer held no ties of friendship or obligation with anyone in Virginia City.\u00a0 He\u2019d been retained by Abel to protect the interests of the boys; therefore, he vociferously employed every legal device, every sentimental argument, and every vestige of his combative personality to secure a viable compromise.<\/p>\n

The final decision was certainly better than nothing, but Adam would never have called it ideal.\u00a0 The cash that was disbursed monthly never quite covered the most basic of ranch maintenance and household expenses.\u00a0 Purchases of breeding stock to improve the herds stopped.\u00a0 The very size of the herd dwindled to only what was manageable by the boys and a few seasonal hands.\u00a0 The Cartwright cattle joined neighboring herds on community drives to markets.\u00a0 Any income made from ranching was required to be deposited into the protected holdings.\u00a0 On paper, the Cartwright assets were extremely healthy.\u00a0 In reality, the boys got by through a combination of barter, odd jobs, and the money in Adam\u2019s account previously earmarked for college.\u00a0 Adam hadn\u2019t been kidding Joe when he said that the cash from his job came in handy.<\/p>\n

At least the family wasn\u2019t split up<\/em>.\u00a0 Every time Adam recalled those days, he remembered to give thanks that they were still together.\u00a0 Abel\u2019s lawyer had also argued that a grandfather had first claim to guardianship.\u00a0 That point the contenders had been willing to concede since it appeared to only apply to Adam.\u00a0 When Abel produced a letter from Ben dated shortly after Inger\u2019s death asking him to look after Adam and Hoss if necessary, the lawyer claimed that both the father\u2019s wishes as well as family ties were involved.\u00a0 The circuit judge agreed, and after posting the required bond, Abel Stoddard was named legal guardian of Eric and Joseph Cartwright.<\/p>\n

At the time, the wrangling over guardianship had made no sense to Adam.\u00a0 The men involved wouldn\u2019t ordinarily have been considered family oriented, and not one of them had been Ben\u2019s close friend.\u00a0 Abel had merely shaken his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cLad, those rascals are more interested in what your brothers may inherit than they are in caring for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

XXXXXXXXXX<\/p>\n

\u201cMind if I join you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked up from the mound of paperwork.\u00a0 He was determined to finish it before leaving with his brothers in the morning.<\/p>\n

When he saw who had interrupted him, it was hard not to make a face.\u00a0 Instead, Adam gestured to an open chair with as much\u00a0courtesy as he could muster.<\/p>\n

Ezra Grady eased his stout frame into the chair.\u00a0 He shifted a bit to find a comfortable spot.\u00a0 Removing a handkerchief from his stained satin vest, he leaned over to wipe the dust from his shoes.\u00a0 Satisfied, he straightened up and smiled condescendingly at Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cBoy, I haven\u2019t talked to you in ages.\u00a0 Everything all right at home?\u00a0 How\u2019s Little Joe and Hoss?\u201d\u00a0 As he spoke, Grady wiped the soiled handkerchief across his sweaty brow, depositing a trace of grime.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you for asking.\u00a0 What can I do for you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Lord, I despise this man<\/em>.\u00a0 Adam wasn\u2019t willing to share even the most innocuous of personal information with Ezra Grady. This seedy man had been the most persistent of the group vying for guardianship of his brothers.\u00a0 Despite having no family of his own or other qualifications for the role, Grady had argued that he could provide a far better home than their brother\u2014or even their grandfather.\u00a0 Given that the disreputable businessman had some level of political connection, Adam had truly feared the man would prevail.\u00a0 Despite his failure to gain custody, Adam had seen Grady stalk Little Joe with covetous eyes ever since.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what I like about you, Adam, all business. You know that Ben and I arrived in the territory about the same time.\u00a0 Your pa and I had a lot in common . . .\u201d<\/p>\n

Nothing!\u00a0 You have nothing in common with my pa<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . We both had big dreams of empires.\u00a0 Your pa wanted land, and he set about gathering the largest, richest land tracts he could find.\u00a0 Me, well, I\u2019m a businessman.\u00a0 I make deals that help other folks find their dreams, or at least help them out of trouble.\u201d\u00a0 Grady winked meaningfully at Adam.<\/p>\n

Adam pinched the bridge of his nose.\u00a0 \u201cMr. Grady, I have a lot of work to do.\u00a0 Perhaps you can just tell me what\u2019s on your mind?\u201d<\/p>\n

Grady nodded in understanding.\u00a0 \u201cAdam, in a couple of weeks, you\u2019re going to get the judge to declare your pa dead.\u00a0 Now, don\u2019t get riled\u2014everyone in town knows it.\u00a0 That means you and your brothers are going to receive a helluva inheritance.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNone of that is your concern.\u201d\u00a0 Adam was barely restraining himself from throwing the man out into the street.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like to make it my concern.\u00a0 You boys ain\u2019t been allowed to do nothing with the land and investments for seven years.\u00a0 You\u2019ve worked like demons to hold onto it and take care of it.\u00a0 I admire that; it shows respect for your pa.\u00a0 But that land is a millstone around your neck.\u00a0 It\u2019s too big and expensive for you to handle.\u00a0 That place has you pinned like a bug to a board.\u00a0 Weren\u2019t you supposed to go to college, boy?\u201d\u00a0 Grady had worked himself into a passion, leaving the chair to pace in front of Adam\u2019s desk.<\/p>\n

Adam face was carefully neutral. \u00a0\u201cI promise you, Mr. Grady, I\u2019ve received an excellent education in the last seven years.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll bet you have,\u201d Grady snickered.\u00a0 \u201cBut it ain\u2019t the kind of education you were planning on, now was it?\u00a0 What are you, 23 . . . 24 years old? You could still go to college.\u00a0 Spend time with that nice old grandpa before he passes away.\u00a0 Put Little Joe in a real good school so he can go to college, too.\u00a0 I\u2019ll bet you could even find somethin\u2019 for Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not leaving the Ponderosa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u00a0 The Ponderosa was your pa\u2019s dream.\u00a0 You\u2019ve paid it enough respect; I say it\u2019s time for you boys to worry about yourselves.\u00a0 I\u2019ll give you a good price for it.\u00a0 Along with the rest of the estate, you three can go live like kings and do whatever you like.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not selling.\u201d\u00a0 Adam got to his feet, and came around his desk.\u00a0 \u201cNow, if you\u2019ll excuse me, I have a lot to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Grady shrugged and nodded. \u201cAdam, you may not like me, but you know I\u2019m talkin\u2019 sense. You think about it.\u201d\u00a0 He clapped Adam\u2019s shoulder in a friendly gesture that made Adam want to reciprocate with a punch to the rascal\u2019s jaw.<\/p>\n

Alone again, Adam sat down.\u00a0 Instead of returning to his paperwork, he withdrew his grandfather\u2019s letter and read again the final words.<\/p>\n

Adam, I know I\u2019ve talked to you often enough about this.\u00a0 You and your brothers are always welcome to make a home here with me. I\u2019ll respect any decision you make, but I would ask that you decide on what\u2019s best for all of you now.\u00a0 Your father\u2019s legacy should be a blessing, not an anchor.<\/em><\/p>\n

I hope you find what you\u2019re looking for.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cSo do I, grandfather,\u201d Adam murmured.\u00a0 \u201cSo do I.\u201d<\/p>\n

XXXXXXXXXX<\/p>\n

Joe was pretty certain the man hadn\u2019t noticed him.\u00a0 Coming out of the barber shop, he was headed to the freight office when he\u2019d seen Mr. Grady coming down the walk.\u00a0 It seemed like every time Joe got within shouting distance, Mr. Grady had to summon him over and make a big fuss:\u00a0 hugging his shoulders, ruffling his hair, even patting his cheek.\u00a0 Joe figured Mr. Grady thought he was being all fatherly.\u00a0 Frankly, it just gave Joe the creeps.\u00a0 Now, Joe kept an eye out for the dude and ducked out of sight when necessary.<\/p>\n

Thinking fast, Joe sprinted into the alley and hid behind some barrels.\u00a0 As soon as he saw Mr. Grady go past, he\u2019d scoot out of there over to Adam\u2019s office.\u00a0 He peeked around the barrels and jumped back quick.\u00a0 Mr. Grady had stepped into the alley himself.\u00a0 Stupid, stupid<\/em>.\u00a0 Joe hated being subjected to the man in public; there was no way he wanted to be cornered in some alley with the guy. His heart in his throat, he squeezed himself into the corner between the barrels and the wall and tried to breathe quietly.<\/p>\n

He could hear Mr. Grady\u2019s boots crunch on the rocky soil as he paced around.\u00a0 Joe shut his eyes and tried to fight down a little rush of panic.\u00a0 Go away, would ya?! <\/em>\u00a0He tried talking himself down.\u00a0 So what if he was found?\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t like Mr. Grady was goin\u2019 to do anything to him.\u00a0 But thinking rationally didn\u2019t convince Joe to come out of hiding.\u00a0 He was so intent on keeping himself still that he nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard someone else approach the alley and start talking to Mr. Grady.<\/p>\n

Another cautious peek around the barrels did nothing to make him feel better.\u00a0 He knew right away who was talking to Mr. Grady.\u00a0 It was Nat Higdon. That was bad news. Mitch had told Joe that Mitch had overheard his pa and Seth\u2019s pa saying that Sam at the Bucket of Blood had heard that Nat Higdon was a hired gun who\u2019d as soon shoot a man as look at him.\u00a0 Joe sure didn\u2019t want to interrupt a gunslinger\u2019s conversation.<\/p>\n

The two men were talking so quietly that Joe couldn\u2019t hear much of what they said.\u00a0 Mr. Grady was doing most of the talking and his tone of voice was a little snappish.<\/p>\n

\u201c . . . just gotta do it the hard way. . . take care of it . . . not like last time . . . people need to know . . .\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe heard Nat Higdon\u2019s reply pretty clearly.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll take care of it. You\u2019ll hear in a few days.\u201d\u00a0 It sounded like someone spit in the dirt and then walked away.\u00a0 Joe waited a little while until he heard a second set of footsteps departing.\u00a0 Swallowing hard, he counted to fifty just to be safe before hightailing down the block to the freight office.<\/p>\n

XXXXXXXXXX<\/p>\n

Hoss gave Joe\u2019s shoulder another little shake to wake him up.\u00a0 This kid can sleep anywhere!\u00a0 <\/em>Two long days of bouncing knees, heads, and backsides against the rough interior of the stage prevented most folks from getting rest, but apparently Joe wasn\u2019t \u2018most folks.\u2019\u00a0 Even now, Joe turned a little, trying to get comfortable enough for more shut-eye.<\/p>\n

Hoss and Adam allowed the other passengers to exit ahead of them.\u00a0 Once Joe was conscious enough to stumble out of his seat, Adam hopped out and went to retrieve their luggage.\u00a0 Hoss stepped into the California sunshine and stretched his arms and back.\u00a0 He turned in time to keep Joe from hitting the ground face-first when the kid leaped from the stage door instead of using the stairs.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m fine,\u201d complained Joe as Hoss brushed dust from his knees and jacket.<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, you are,\u201d muttered Hoss.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t fuss.\u00a0 Adam\u2019s gone to see about someplace to stay.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss looked around.\u00a0 Sacramento had recently become the new capital of the state of California, and the street was busy with vehicles.\u00a0 The sidewalks bustled with activity as well\u2014crowded enough that Hoss lost sight of Adam.\u00a0 There were plenty of folks around.\u00a0 Some of those folks looked pretty respectable, some of them not so much.\u00a0 Wranglers, drifters, mountain men, and even Chinese folks intermingled with the well-dressed citizens.<\/p>\n

Craning his neck to find his brother in the crowd, Hoss caught a glimpse of the back of Adam\u2019s tan jacket and grabbed Joe to head them in that direction. Looks like ol\u2019 Adam got somethin\u2019 to read already<\/em>. They\u2019d only gone a few steps when he was caught by the elbow.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere are you headed?\u00a0 I found us a decent boarding house not very far from here.\u00a0 C\u2019mon.\u201d\u00a0 Adam pointed down the block.\u00a0 Taking Joe by the shoulder, Adam started off at a brisk pace.<\/p>\n

Huh\u2014fooled me.<\/em>\u00a0 Hoss took another look at the man he had mistaken for Adam.\u00a0 Now that he had a better view, he couldn\u2019t understand his mistake. It was just an old mountain man dressed in buckskin shirt and trousers, a big brimmed hat shading a face full of grey whiskers.\u00a0 The man\u2019s grey hair lay on his shoulders, and he seemed keenly interested in the newspaper he was holding. Funny, you wouldn\u2019t think a feller like that could even read<\/em>.\u00a0 Hoss shrugged and lit out after his brothers.\u00a0 Like Adam says, things aren\u2019t always what they seem<\/em>.<\/p>\n

XXXXXXXXXX<\/p>\n

They spent the day exploring the city.\u00a0 It was by far the largest town the younger boys had ever experienced, and it was hard not to get caught up in Little Joe\u2019s enthusiasm.\u00a0 Out of habit rather than interest, Adam used some of their time in the city to check in with the freight company\u2019s customers.\u00a0 They enjoyed a late lunch that satisfied even Hoss and strolled out to the river as evening approached.<\/p>\n

As they neared the muddy banks, the boys fell silent.\u00a0 The sun, glorious in red, orange, and purple, sank toward the horizon.\u00a0 A freshening breeze cooled their faces as they studied the view.\u00a0 Adam watched Little Joe skip stones across the water while Hoss scouted around the tree line behind them.\u00a0 When he returned, Adam put his hand on Joe\u2019s neck and guided them all to a grassy knoll overlooking water iridescent in the sunset.<\/p>\n

Clearing his throat, Adam pulled his pa\u2019s small Bible from his coat pocket.\u00a0 Opening the book, he drew out a paper marking the page.\u00a0 Hoss\u2019s hands were jammed in his pockets, his eyes on the ground.\u00a0 Little Joe was looking right back at him, his face pale but otherwise calm.\u00a0 Adam coughed a little to get Hoss\u2019s attention, and they all turned to face the sunset.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, Shakespeare wrote that we must \u2018give sorrow words; the grief that does not speak knits up the o\u2019er wrought heart and bids it break.\u2019[i]\u00a0 We\u2019ve been pretty broken-hearted for a long time, and we needed to find the right time and place to say goodbye.\u00a0 We know you were here in Sacramento, pa, and we hope you enjoyed a beautiful sunset by the river just like we\u2019re doing right now.\u00a0 We\u2019ve stayed together, and we still have the Ponderosa.\u00a0 We planned for you to find us waiting for you at the ranch, but it looks like we won\u2019t be seeing you again until we see you with Marie and our mothers.\u00a0 We\u2019ll always miss you, and we\u2019ll always remember what you taught us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam was hanging onto his composure by a thread, and he was afraid to look at his brothers before he finished.\u00a0 Opening the Bible, he read aloud, \u201cFor everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: \u00a0<\/sup>a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; \u00a0<\/sup>a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; \u00a0<\/sup>a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.\u201d<\/em>[ii]<\/p>\n

The silence was broken only by the sound of the water lapping against the rocky banks.\u00a0 Adam wiped his face and tucked the Bible back into his pocket.\u00a0 Hoss caught his eye and gave him a little encouraging wink. Then, his middle brother sniffed hard and rubbed Joe\u2019s back as he spoke.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, I gotta tell you that we ain\u2019t been to church as often as we should.\u00a0 It ain\u2019t no one\u2019s fault, especially Adam\u2019s, but it didn\u2019t happen like you would have liked.\u00a0 But, one Sunday, the preacher said somethin\u2019 that made a whole lotta sense to me, and I believe it with all my heart.\u201d\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

Drawing a smudged paper from his own pocket, Hoss read his own lines of comfort for his brothers. \u201cHe will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.\u201d<\/em>[iii]\u00a0 <\/em>Hoss\u2019s voice faded away.<\/p>\n

Joe had thought and thought about what to say.\u00a0 It\u2019d worried him something fierce that he would let his brothers and his pa down by standing there all tongue-tied.\u00a0 Since he hadn\u2019t found the words in a book, he decided to close his eyes and speak from the heart.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, Adam and Hoss take good care of things\u2014they take good care of me, and you ain\u2019t got anything to worry about. They talk about you and all the good times we had together.\u00a0 I\u2019ve been waiting and hoping to see you\u2014but it looks like it\u2019s gonna be a longer wait than we figured on.\u00a0 I know that when I do see you and Mama, we\u2019ll have good times again.\u201d\u00a0 Joe looked up at his brothers, smiling at him through tears, and he knew he\u2019d done them proud.<\/p>\n

The brothers walked to the tree line and the small hole Hoss had already prepared.\u00a0 Removing a pine seedling from its wrapping, Adam allowed Joe to mound the soil they\u2019d carried from Nevada around the plant.<\/p>\n

\u201cMight not survive here,\u201d said Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019ll be fine,\u201d Adam replied firmly.\u00a0 Hoss smiled at his conviction, and the three brothers began the walk back to town, leaving the river behind them.<\/p>\n

XXXXXXXXX<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s stomach rumbled as the enticing smells from Mrs. Sutherland\u2019s kitchen wafted through the open window.\u00a0 With the excitement of exploring Sacramento and the nervous anticipation of saying goodbye to his father, Joe hadn\u2019t managed to eat much of his lunch.\u00a0 He was looking forward to supper.\u00a0 Shutting the outhouse door, he headed to the pump to clean up before going inside.<\/p>\n

He had barely dried himself off when he was grabbed from behind.\u00a0 A burly arm wrapped around his torso, pinning his arms down.\u00a0 Joe struggled and twisted\u2014at first, he was too surprised to call for help.\u00a0 When he took a deep breath to shout, he found a rough hand clamped over his mouth as he was carried away from the boarding house.<\/p>\n

All the lurid stories Joe had ever overheard about what happened to kids on their own flashed through his mind. Doggone it! I ain\u2019t gonna be no one\u2019s cabin boy!\u00a0 <\/em>His brothers always said he had grit.\u00a0 Joe might be small for his age, but the size of his temper more than made up for the size of his body.\u00a0 He\u2019d had to fight off more than one bigger kid, and he knew it didn\u2019t pay to fight fair.\u00a0 Whoever this fellow was that had him, he was at least as tall as Adam\u2014and Joe had brought Adam down in play fights.<\/p>\n

Hooking his right foot behind the guy\u2019s knee, Joe pulled hard at the joint.\u00a0 Knowing what to expect, Joe braced himself for the fall.\u00a0 They both hit the ground face first with Joe momentarily pinned beneath the man\u2014but the impact loosened his grip on the boy. Without hesitation, Joe bit down hard on the hand covering his mouth and kicked the guy\u2019s stomach.\u00a0 Twisting and shoving, Joe was able to get to his feet and start running. Even though there was no one in sight, he yelled as loudly as he could for help. Before he\u2019d gone ten steps, the man was on him again.\u00a0 Joe was spun around and landed in the dirt on his back.\u00a0 Before he could scoot away, the man slapped him hard, shook him until his teeth banged together, and slapped him again.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t try any more of those stunts with me, boy, if you know what\u2019s good for ya,\u201d the man hissed.\u00a0 \u00a0A rope was quickly and painfully tied around Joe\u2019s wrists.\u00a0 A bandana was stuffed in his mouth.\u00a0 Once more, Joe was lifted off his feet and carried into the shadows.<\/p>\n

Joe knew perfectly well what was good for him, and going quietly with this dude was definitely not good.\u00a0 He waited to get his bearings and maybe fool the fellow into believing he was cowed.\u00a0 It didn\u2019t take long before the two of them were in front of a horse; it looked like they were going to ride away.\u00a0 Joe really liked horses, but he was running out of ideas.\u00a0 When his kidnapper turned to throw him into the saddle, Joe drew his knees up and kicked the horse as hard as he could in the neck.\u00a0 \u00a0The horse protested loudly, kicking and pulling against its reins.\u00a0 Although the horse and Joe both put up a powerful fuss, the guy managed to hold onto both of them.\u00a0 Swearing viciously, the outlaw pulled hard on the reins and brought the horse under control.\u00a0 Jerking hard on Joe\u2019s arms, the man threw him into the saddle and put his own foot in the stirrup.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet him go,\u201d a deep voice demanded.\u00a0 Far from the house lights and street lanterns, Joe could hardly see who was confronting his kidnapper. The man holding him stepped away from the horse, keeping his eyes on Joe\u2019s rescuer.<\/p>\n

\u201cMister, you don\u2019t want any part of this.\u00a0 Get on your way now while you still can.\u201d\u00a0 A moment passed, and the outlaw started to move back to the horse.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got nothing to lose, friend.\u00a0 Haven\u2019t you heard?\u00a0 I\u2019m dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s kidnapper took a hard look at the man then, and whatever he saw had him grabbing for the gun in his holster.\u00a0 Both men fired at the same time, and if that horse had been a caution before, gunfire panicked it completely.\u00a0 There was no way Little Joe could stay in the saddle.\u00a0 Once again, he was slammed into the ground.\u00a0 This time, he rolled to avoid the hooves threatening to trample him.<\/p>\n

\u201cGrab the horse,\u201d Joe heard his rescuer order.<\/p>\n

Strong hands caught him under the arms and shifted him gently to a patch of grass. \u00a0An arm went under his shoulders and the dirty gag was taken from his mouth.\u00a0 Joe blinked the grime and tears from his eyes as best he could.\u00a0 An old mountain man dressed in buckskin clothing was holding him, one hand cupped around his cheek.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did he do to you, boy?\u201d the man whispered.\u00a0 Joe was astonished to see tears in the man\u2019s eyes.\u00a0 Behind them, he heard shouts and running footsteps.<\/p>\n

\u201cTake your hands off my brother,\u201d Adam\u2019s voice was cold and hard.\u00a0 The mountain man eased Joe down before raising his hands and stepping back.\u00a0 \u201cKeep your hands where we can see them.\u00a0 Someone has already gone for the sheriff.\u201d<\/p>\n

Then Adam was down on his knees in front of Joe working to untie the ropes.\u00a0\u00a0 As soon as he was loose, Adam embraced him fiercely, his face buried in Joe\u2019s curls.\u00a0 Joe held on just as hard, shaking with shock and emotion.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, keep your eye on that one.\u00a0 We\u2019ll need a doctor for Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, there\u2019s someone else here on the ground that might could use a doctor, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe grabbed Adam\u2019s arm. \u201cYou don\u2019t understand. That guy saved me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Never taking his eyes off Joe, Adam nodded.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t worry; we\u2019re going to find out what\u2019s going on here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam straightened up and helped Joe to his feet.\u00a0 \u201cMister, you\u2019ve got a lot of explaining to do,\u201d he said as he steadied his little brother.\u00a0 They both heard a strangled cry and the sound of Hoss\u2019s pistol hitting the ground. Instinct had Adam\u2019s gun drawn before he\u2019d even completed turning to face the old man.<\/p>\n

Joe didn\u2019t think Adam had ever fainted in his life, but it seemed like there might be a first time for everything.\u00a0 Incredibly, their middle brother was sobbing in the old man\u2019s arms.\u00a0 When the man lifted his tear-stained face from Hoss\u2019s shoulder, Joe had to steady Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right, son.\u00a0 I do have a lot to explain,\u201d Ben Cartwright said.<\/p>\n

XXXXXXXXXX<\/p>\n

Joe had thought he understood what was happening, but the scene before him had him completely confused.\u00a0 Adam left his side and stumbled toward the old mountain man.\u00a0 Hoss stepped back to allow Adam\u2019s approach.<\/p>\n

\u201cAm I going crazy?\u201d asked Adam, raising a tentative hand to the man\u2019s bearded face.<\/p>\n

The man grabbed Adam\u2019s arm and pulled him close.\u00a0 Hoss was smiling bigger than Joe could ever remember seeing and patting Adam\u2019s back.<\/p>\n

It was all a bit much for Joe, and he sat back down on the ground to wait for someone to tell him what was going on.\u00a0 He had barely hit the dirt before Hoss grabbed him up and put him on his hip\u2014on his hip like a little kid!\u2014<\/em>and was shouting in his ear.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s Pa, Joe!\u00a0 That there is Pa!\u201d\u00a0 Hoss wouldn\u2019t stop hugging him and jumping around.\u00a0 All the commotion was making Joe\u2019s injured head pound, and the bouncing was making him sick to his stomach.<\/p>\n

\u201cStop, Hoss!\u201d begged Joe. \u201cPlease . . . put me down.\u201d\u00a0 Something in his face brought Hoss up short.\u00a0 He settled down quickly and eased Joe to the ground.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry about that, punkin. You\u2019ve had a rough time, and\u00a0I aint helpin\u2019 none.\u201d\u00a0 For the first time, Hoss carefully looked over his little brother noticing the bruises and sickly pallor.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll get a doctor here soon, and he\u2019ll take a look at you.\u00a0 While we wait, you just lean on me.\u201d\u00a0 Joe took him at his word, leaning into Hoss\u2019s chest with his brother\u2019s arm around him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat the hell is goin\u2019 on here?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe looked up to see a small crowd of people led by a man wearing a sheriff\u2019s badge.\u00a0 The landlady, Mrs. Sutherland, was peering around the sheriff\u2019s shoulder, and another fellow with a badge was bent over\u00a0the prone figure of his kidnapper.\u00a0 When the sheriff didn\u2019t get an immediate answer, he took charge of the situation.\u00a0 Walking over to Joe and Hoss, the sheriff squatted down next to them.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou the young\u2019un that got snatched?\u201d the sheriff asked kindly.\u00a0 At Joe\u2019s nod, he continued.\u00a0 \u201cCan you say what happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe feller on the ground grabbed me and tried to drag me to his horse.\u00a0 I fought him and almost got away before he caught me and tied me up. He was gettin\u2019 up on the horse behind me when he . . . my pa . . . stopped him.\u201d\u00a0 Joe was cold now and started to shiver.\u00a0 The sheriff noticed and wrapped his own coat around the boy.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s your pa?\u00a0 Funny, he don\u2019t look like someone that would be related to the three of you.\u00a0 While we sort this all out, you lay here quiet and rest.\u201d\u00a0 The sheriff patted Joe\u2019s shoulder and encouraged him to stretch out.<\/p>\n

The sheriff stood. \u201cYou!\u00a0 Holding the horse!\u00a0 Come on over here!\u201d\u00a0 A small man in loose clothing stepped forward and bowed.\u00a0 \u201cWhat have you got to do with this, Chinaman?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s with me,\u201d Ben Cartwright spoke up.\u00a0 \u201cI can explain.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis should be quite a story\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSheriff McCray! This feller\u2019s comin\u2019 around,\u201d interrupted the deputy, \u201cbut he ain\u2019t lookin\u2019 so good.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t imagine why,\u201d muttered the sheriff.\u00a0 \u201cAbner, find the doc.\u00a0 Lemme see what I can get out of him.\u201d\u00a0 The deputy took off as ordered.<\/p>\n

The sheriff shook the wounded man\u2019s arm a bit, \u201cMister, I need you to talk to me.\u201d\u00a0 Aware that someone had come up behind him, the sheriff glanced at Ben Cartwright.\u00a0 When he looked down again, he saw the wounded man\u2019s eyes were fixed on the mountain man.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou remember me?\u201d\u00a0 Cartwright asked.\u00a0 The man barely nodded.\u00a0 \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a job.\u201d\u00a0 The man\u2019s voice was a breathy whisper trailing off at the end.<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose tonight was a job, too?\u201d\u00a0 Cartwright\u2019s voice was filled with righteous fury, barely controlled.\u00a0 \u201cWere you going to sell him<\/em> to some crimp?\u201d\u00a0 The man shook his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cTake him . . . be rescued . . . kill the other two.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho sent you?\u201d\u00a0 Ben Cartwright bent over the dying man.\u00a0 \u201cWho paid you to do all of this?\u201d<\/p>\n

Instead of answering, the man closed his eyes. \u00a0A final breath rattled in his throat before ceasing altogether.<\/p>\n

McCray\u00a0rocked back on his heels in frustration.\u00a0 \u201cWell, son of a . . .\u00a0 Now, we\u2019ll never know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSheriff?\u201d All eyes turned to the youngest Cartwright, still wrapped in the sheriff\u2019s coat, staring down at the dead man.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know,\u201d Little Joe said.<\/p>\n

XXXXXXXXXX<\/p>\n

Although his brothers backed up Little Joe\u2019s identification of the dead man as Nat Higdon, they were inclined to argue with his interpretation of what he had overheard in that Virginia City alley. \u00a0\u00a0Sensing that tempers were already strained by emotion, the sheriff threw up his hands in frustration and sent the newly reunited family away for the night.<\/p>\n

After being tended by the doctor and the intensely curious and sympathetic Mrs. Sutherland, Joe joined his family on the boarding house\u2019s back porch.\u00a0 It seemed Mrs. Sutherland\u2019s curiosity and sympathy didn\u2019t quite extend to allowing the elder Mr. Cartwright\u2019s heathen yellow friend admittance to her dining room.<\/p>\n

\u201cFeeling better?\u201d Adam asked.\u00a0 Joe nodded and sat next to his brother.\u00a0 Adam\u2019s arm went reassuringly around his shoulders.\u00a0 Lately, Joe had resisted being hugged in public, but the day had been so far from ordinary he was grateful for the embrace.\u00a0 Besides, none of his friends were around to see him.<\/p>\n

He and Adam were sitting across from the mountain man\u2014 his pa, Joe had to keep reminding himself.\u00a0 Hoss sat next to their pa\u2014touching his arm or back constantly as if to reassure himself that Ben Cartwright was actually there.\u00a0 His pa\u2019s Chinese friend perched on the steps just outside the glow of the lantern light.\u00a0 No one had introduced the fellow yet to Joe, but when the little man caught Joe\u2019s eyes he grinned and bobbed his head.<\/p>\n

Joe studied the man in front of him.\u00a0 Nothing about him matched the description his brothers had supplied over the years.\u00a0 Maybe Adam read his mind.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, I can\u2019t get over the grey hair and beard!\u00a0 I\u2019m still stunned by everything.\u00a0 How did you know where to find us?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben leaned forward in the chair, hands clasped over his knees.\u00a0 \u201cAdam, I had no idea the three of you were here until I realized who Higdon was following.\u00a0 We\u2019d only arrived yesterday, and I spotted Higdon near the stage depot soon after I noticed this in the newspaper.\u201d\u00a0 Ben pulled a clipping from his pocket and handed it to Adam. \u201cI decided to keep an eye on him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam read the notice of petition to declare Benjamin Cartwright dead.\u00a0 His hands shook, and he found it difficult to meet his father\u2019s eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, I\u2019m so sorry.\u00a0 It had been seven years, and . . .\u201d Adam\u2019s voice was husky with guilt.<\/p>\n

\u201cHush, son.\u00a0 I\u2019m not hurt or angry.\u00a0 You did what was right.\u201d\u00a0 He reached over and touched Adam\u2019s knee.\u00a0 He moved to touch Little Joe as well who unconsciously shrank back against his brother. Ben halted and cleared his throat.<\/p>\n

\u201cHigdon ambushed me here in Sacramento seven years ago.\u00a0 Drugged me into a stupor and put me along with a number of other unlucky souls in a wagon bound for Portland.\u00a0 From Portland, I was put on a ship sailing west to Asia.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPortland?\u00a0 Why take you clear to Portland?\u00a0 Why not San Francisco if you was goin\u2019 to be shanghaied?\u201d\u00a0 Hoss demanded.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was one of the many questions I intended to ask Higdon,\u201d Ben replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, where were you all of those years?\u201d\u00a0 Hoss asked him.<\/p>\n

\u201cBoys, it\u2019s a long story.\u201d<\/p>\n

XXXXXXXXXX<\/p>\n

Ben scanned the beloved faces\u2014now so different from what he remembered.\u00a0 Adam, of course, had changed the least; but even so, he was more mature and self-assured.\u00a0 Tonight, however, his oldest son\u2019s handsome face was touched with fatigue and edged with needless guilt.\u00a0 Ben was astonished by the size of his middle child.\u00a0 Eighteen-year old Hoss had outgrown his father by a few inches and showed all the potential of becoming a powerful man.\u00a0 Too thin, though.\u00a0 The broad chest and shoulders needed building up.\u00a0 Seeing the change in his youngest wrung Ben\u2019s heart.\u00a0 Where was the affectionate little boy who had climbed into his lap and hugged his neck?\u00a0 This solemn youngster held onto Adam\u2019s arm as if it were a lifeline.\u00a0 Ben shivered in the cool night air.\u00a0 Despite his warm clothing, he never felt warm these days.\u00a0 So much lost . . . so much taken from me.<\/em>\u00a0 Ben closed his eyes to quell the surge of grief and anger.\u00a0 Hold on.\u00a0 Don\u2019t lose control.\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u00a0 You all right?\u201d Ben nodded in response and began to talk.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs I said, I was taken by wagon to Portland.\u00a0 I did my best to escape and come back to you,\u201d Ben\u2019s voice shook with remorse, \u201cbut the men in charge were ruthless.\u00a0 By the time we got to Portland, I was somewhat the worse for wear.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPortland is notorious for shanghaiing the unsuspecting. The crimps are efficient, and apparently willing to pay top dollar for deck hands\u2014former sailors, in particular.\u00a0 Before I was quite back to thinking straight, I found myself on a vessel bound for the Orient.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCouldn\u2019t you tell the captain what happened to you?\u00a0 Couldn\u2019t you tell him your family didn\u2019t know where you were?\u201d\u00a0 Little Joe asked.<\/p>\n

Ben was encouraged by the questions.\u00a0 It had been the first time Joe had addressed him directly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI tried to do just that, son.\u00a0 I wasn\u2019t surprised to be ignored.\u00a0 The captain reminded me that there was no place to go, and I should make the best of things.\u201d\u00a0 His sons\u2019 faces reflected their shock.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter sailing the Pacific for nearly a year and a half. I\u2019m sure we visited every available port–each\u00a0of them impossible to use as either an escape or a\u00a0way to communicate with anyone at home.\u00a0 Finally, we anchored in the Sandwich Islands to provision for the long journey east to England.\u00a0 I thought it was my only chance, and I jumped ship.\u00a0 I hid in the jungle until the ship had sailed.\u00a0 When I came out, I kept away from the officials while I searched for some way home.\u201d\u00a0 Ben saw the question forming on Hoss\u2019s face.\u00a0 \u201cEven though I had been kidnapped, I was bound by contract to the ship I had deserted.\u00a0 I would have been punished if I\u2019d been caught.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI heard that a ship was in port bound for North America.\u00a0 I thought, at least I would be going in the right direction.\u00a0 I found the ship\u2019s captain, Robert McClure, and convinced him to take me on board.\u00a0 I agreed to serve on the HMS Investigator<\/em> in exchange for release at the end of the expedition.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Investigator<\/em>?\u00a0 It disappeared . . .\u201d Adam put in.<\/p>\n

Ben nodded to his son and continued, \u201cDo you remember the talk in the newspapers about Franklin\u2019s lost expedition to find the Northwest Passage?\u00a0\u00a0 How the British Crown sent a number of expeditions to the Arctic to find and rescue Franklin if possible?\u00a0 The Investigator<\/em> was part of that effort.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMcClure is a bit of a daredevil.\u00a0 Since he was already separated from his consort ship, he decided to push on alone.\u00a0 The Investigator made good time.\u00a0 We left Honolulu in July and spotted ice fields around Point Barrow in early August 1850.\u00a0 From there, it was uncharted waters.\u00a0 Despite a thorough search\u00a0of the\u00a0the coast east of Point Barrow,\u00a0there was no trace of Franklin and his men, although we did meet local Indians.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe captain did not completely anticipate the extent of the ice.\u00a0 By September of that year, we were firmly ice-bound and remained that way until the following summer.\u00a0 We were able to make some progress during the warmer months, but too soon we became hopelessly trapped again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow long were you trapped?\u201d Adam asked.\u00a0 Ben saw that Little Joe\u2019s eyes were as round as saucers at the tale.<\/p>\n

Ben sighed.\u00a0 \u201cFour winters before another expedition came across us.\u00a0 It could have been worse.\u00a0 The ship had been reinforced before the voyage and carried plenty of provisions.\u00a0 We met and traded with the Indians I mentioned.\u00a0 Even hunted and fished a bit.\u00a0 Everyone did very well for a long time.\u00a0 It was only in the last few months that the men started to sicken and die.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo wonder your hair is white,\u201d Little Joe murmured.<\/p>\n

Ben smiled at his youngest.\u00a0 \u201cNo wonder,\u201d he agreed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen\u00a0rescue came,\u00a0the Investigator <\/em>was abandoned\u00a0and everyone\u00a0left on dog-pulled sledges to other expedition ships.\u00a0 Those ships were bound for England\u2014which I was not.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow did you get here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s see . . . dog sledges, ships hop-skipping south along the coast, homesteader wagons when possible, and a great deal of walking!\u201d<\/p>\n

For the first time during his story, Ben could see a little trace of amusement on his oldest son\u2019s face.\u00a0 When he looked quizzically at Adam, his boy shrugged and replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, you abandoned the Sandwich Islands for four winters in the Arctic?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben chuckled.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt seemed like a good idea at the time.\u201d<\/p>\n

XXXXXXXXXX<\/p>\n

Even though Hoss was pretty sure Mrs. Sutherland had been eavesdropping during the story, he was still grateful when she came outside with lemonade and cookies.\u00a0 It gave his pa a chance to rest for a few minutes and get over telling about what had happened to him.\u00a0 Hoss didn\u2019t think he had ever seen anyone look as sad . . . as mad . . . as cheated<\/em> as\u00a0Pa looked.\u00a0 Maybe all that walking had really taken its toll, his pa looked plumb worn out.<\/p>\n

They thanked the lady for the food and silently waited for her to return to the house.\u00a0 Hoss snuck a look at his brothers to see how they were taking all of this.\u00a0 Adam was chewing his bottom lip and clenching then unclenching his hands.\u00a0 Hoss could understand what he was feeling.\u00a0 The injustice of what had happened to their family demanded some sort of retribution.\u00a0 Little Joe looked a bit overwhelmed, like he\u2019d been told a scary bedtime story and wasn\u2019t too sure what was real and what was make-believe.<\/p>\n

They\u2019d all been silent for so long that Hoss jumped a little when his pa spoke again.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, McClure ended up finding the Northwest Passage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou said you were stranded,\u201d Adam stated.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, we were definitely stranded, but we weren\u2019t idle.\u00a0 Whenever we could move the ship a bit, we did so, and we explored by land quite a bit.\u00a0 I imagine the whole story will be in the newspapers at some point.\u201d\u00a0 His father rocked quietly in his chair.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat reminds me,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0 \u201cHop Sing, I wonder if you could hand me my pack, please?\u201d\u00a0 The little man fussed around their meager possessions and brought forth what was requested.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, I asked the captain for a copy of his map.\u00a0 I talked so often about you and your curiosity that he was good enough to oblige me.\u201d\u00a0 Ben pulled a roll out of the pack and smoothed it out before handing it to Adam. Hoss and Little Joe looked over Adam\u2019s shoulders at the sketch of coastline, islands, sea, and the passage marked out for future exploration.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is fascinating, Pa.\u201d\u00a0 Adam tried to hand it back to his father.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, son, it\u2019s for you. \u00a0Keep it.\u201d\u00a0 Adam accepted with a warm smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, despite the perils, there were times I wished you were beside me.\u00a0 There are animals living in that ice and snow unlike anything you\u2019ve ever known. \u00a0I traded with one of the natives for this.\u201d\u00a0 Ben placed a beautiful stone carving of a creature in Hoss\u2019s hands. \u00a0The animal had a strange face with large tusks extending from the mouth. Flippers took the place of hind legs.\u00a0 Curled on the creature\u2019s back was a smaller version of the animal.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a walrus with a pup on its back.\u00a0 It\u2019s actually a very good likeness.\u201d Ben wrapped Hoss\u2019s hands around the offering.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou brought presents?\u201d\u00a0 Joe whispered.\u00a0 Ben seemed startled by the question.\u00a0 He shook his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cPresents?\u00a0 I never thought of it that way.\u00a0 I can hardly explain.\u00a0 The three of you were with me every step of the way.\u00a0 I thought of you constantly . . . talked about you incessantly to anyone patient enough to listen.\u00a0 I just sort of collected things that I thought you might like . . .\u00a0 things that reminded me of you.\u00a0 Anyway, Joseph, let me show you this.\u00a0 I think you’ll like it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe dared to leave Adam\u2019s side to approach his father.\u00a0 He watched as Ben carefully removed an object from a length of animal skin.\u00a0 Inside was an exquisite knife carved from bone.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis was a gift for helping to care for an Inuit who had been injured on a hunt.\u00a0 Be careful, it\u2019s very sharp.\u201d\u00a0 When Joe hesitated to touch it, his father encouraged him.\u00a0 \u201cGo ahead and take it.\u00a0 It\u2019s yours.\u00a0 A boy should have a good knife, and I believe your birthday is tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe carefully took the knife and turned it in his hands, gently\u00a0drawing his thumb down the honed edge. \u00a0When\u00a0Joe raised\u00a0tear-filled eyes\u00a0to his\u00a0father’s face, Ben could barely breathe.\u00a0 His son was the picture of Marie!<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, sir,\u201d Joe said.\u00a0 Ben briefly hoped that Joe would come to him.\u00a0 Instead as the youngster\u2019s shoulders shook with emotion, he turned to Adam instead of Ben for comfort.<\/p>\n

\u201cC\u2019mon, buddy.\u00a0 You need to turn in.\u00a0 You have to be exhausted,\u201d Adam said.<\/p>\n

Joe nodded and, with no more than a subdued \u2018good night\u2019 to his Pa and Hoss, allowed his oldest brother to lead him inside.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat knife\u2019s really something.\u00a0 I can tell Joe likes it a lot.\u201d\u00a0 Hoss spoke into his ear.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s so different than I remember. So quiet.\u00a0 He\u2019s obviously very attached to Adam,\u201d Ben choked out.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I wouldn\u2019t fret about it, Pa,\u201d Hoss soothed his father.\u00a0 \u201cHe had a tryin\u2019 day.\u00a0 You can\u2019t really blame him for strugglin\u2019 a little.\u201d<\/p>\n

Suddenly, a huge smile graced Hoss\u2019s face.\u00a0 He put his arm around his father\u2019s shoulders and squeezed.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou made it home.\u00a0 You said you should make it back in time for Little Joe\u2019s birthday, and that\u2019s just what you did!\u201d<\/p>\n

XXXXXXXXXX<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to hear the whole story, but . . .\u201d\u00a0Sheriff McCray\u00a0wagged a finger at Little Joe, \u201conly one of you at a time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Unsure who was to begin, Joe leapt into the breach.\u00a0 \u201cSo, last night after we got back from sayin\u2019 goodbye to Pa, we were gonna eat at the boarding house, but I had to attend to some personal business outside.\u00a0 While I was cleanin\u2019 up, Nat Higdon grabbed me from behind and tried to throw me on the horse, but my pa stopped him and shot him down. I heard that gunslinger talkin\u2019 with Mr. Grady about doin\u2019 things the hard way, and that means Mr. Grady paid him to do it and to make my pa disappear, too.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0Joe\u2019s explanation came out in a rush of words that left him gasping for air at the end.\u00a0 He punctuated his declaration by crossing his arms over his chest and nodding emphatically at the sheriff.<\/p>\n

The sheriff regarded Joe thoughtfully before turning to the rest of the family.\u00a0 \u201cI want to hear the whole story . . . from someone else.\u201d\u00a0 Joe looked highly insulted.<\/p>\n

And so Ben\u2019s story was told again, no less extraordinary with repetition.\u00a0 Adam, keeping a guilty eye on his father, described their reason for the trip.\u00a0 Finally, Joe was allowed to speak again.\u00a0 The sheriff asked him to repeat exactly what he\u2019d overheard in the alley.\u00a0 All of them discussed Higdon\u2019s final words.\u00a0 The newspaper clipping advertising the petition to declare Ben Cartwright dead in a few days lay on the sheriff\u2019s desk.<\/p>\n

The sheriff sighed and shook his head.\u00a0 This story sure beat anything he\u2019d ever heard in his life.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t say I\u2019m not suspicious of Ezra Grady.\u00a0 But suspicion ain\u2019t guilt.\u00a0 Why would he want you gone, mister?\u00a0 For that matter, why hire someone to hurt these boys?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam spoke up.\u00a0 \u201cThe day before we left, Grady visited me.\u00a0 He wanted to buy the Ponderosa.\u00a0 He told me it was too much trouble and expense for us to maintain.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBalderdash,\u201d sputtered Ben.\u00a0 \u201cHe had to know you three had plenty of resources to take care of the ranch.\u00a0 What was he thinking?\u201d\u00a0 Expecting agreement from his sons, Ben saw instead looks of discomfort.<\/p>\n

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

The sheriff cleared his throat.\u00a0 \u201cWell, I don\u2019t know the particulars.\u00a0 But, it wouldn\u2019t be unusual for things to be all snarled up in these circumstances.\u00a0 The family wouldn\u2019t be able to touch the assets.\u00a0 Is that about right, fellas?\u201d<\/p>\n

Troublesome details he had noticed but given no further thought fell into place for Ben.\u00a0 The boys were too thin and poorly clothed.\u00a0 They were staying at a cheap boarding house instead of a hotel.\u00a0 It was clear now that there had been no college for Adam.\u00a0 Instead of being provided for, cared for . . . they\u2019d been taken advantage of, even impoverished by someone\u2014no, not someone, Ezra Grady! \u00a0<\/em>He could hardly breathe through the filter of his emotion.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t quite make out what Higdon meant about \u2018take him to be rescued\u2019 . .\u00a0 .\u201d the sheriff was musing.\u00a0 \u201cWould Grady want your youngest for some reason?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s just some crazy old coot,\u201d Little Joe piped up, \u201calways grabbing me and stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n

That remark silenced the group.\u00a0 Ben crossed the room in a second gripping Joe\u2019s shoulders forcefully.\u00a0 Inches in front of his boy\u2019s face, he demanded, \u201cWhat are you saying?\u00a0 What has he done?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe shrank back from his father\u2019s rage.\u00a0 Dark eyes were blazing beneath the bushy gray brows.\u00a0 Joe had always felt like he would know his pa when he saw him, but looking at this angry stranger, he couldn\u2019t see the person his brothers had always described.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know,\u201d he replied, trying to soothe his pa, \u201cstuff grown-ups do when they don\u2019t know any better.\u00a0 He was huggin\u2019 me and talkin\u2019 to me all the time like I was his favorite nephew.\u201d<\/p>\n

Satisfied with the answer, Ben released his son.\u00a0 Joe immediately stepped back out of reach.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll kill him,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSimmer down, Cartwright!\u00a0 Seems like you\u2019ve gone through too much to end up on the gallows now.\u00a0 We need evidence.\u201d\u00a0 The sheriff pointed to a chair, and Ben reluctantly sat down.\u00a0 He raised a shaking hand to swipe across his brow.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen, let\u2019s find evidence<\/em> and put the monster away,\u201d he growled.<\/p>\n

XXXXXXXXXX<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing get food.\u00a0 Take number three son.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Chinaman had been so quiet that they had all but forgotten he was there.\u00a0 Joe smiled gratefully at the little man.\u00a0 He was on his feet trailing Hop Sing out the door before anyone could object.<\/p>\n

A brisk walk via main thoroughfares and back alleys landed them eventually at the kitchen door of a large hotel.\u00a0 Gesturing for Joe to sit on a nearby crate, Hop Sing disappeared into the building.\u00a0 Listening to the voices that carried through the door, Joe didn\u2019t need to understand the language to understand the authoritative tone of the \u2018request\u2019 being made.<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t long before Hop Sing reappeared followed by another Chinese man bearing bowls of steaming rice and strips of meat.\u00a0 With a bow, the man presented a bowl to Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did you say to them in there?\u201d\u00a0 Joe asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing tell cousins make food for honorable Cart-lights.\u00a0 Will bring when ready.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMore food like this?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hop Sing rolled his eyes.\u00a0 \u201cThis for number three son to eat while wait.\u00a0 Boy too skinny.\u00a0 How boy grow if not eat?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe tried a heaping spoonful of the concoction.\u00a0 Wonderful<\/em>!\u00a0 He tried to relay his appreciation to Hop Sing\u2019s cousin who bowed before turning to head back into the kitchen.<\/p>\n

\u201cWait!\u201d he called, stopping the man.\u00a0 \u201cHow do I say \u2018thank you\u2019?\u201d Joe asked Hop Sing.<\/p>\n

Hop Sing nodded at him approvingly.\u00a0 \u201cSay xie-xie<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe repeated the phrase and was rewarded with a wide smile and another approving look.\u00a0 He dug into his meal with gusto before realizing Hop Sing wasn\u2019t eating.<\/p>\n

\u201cAren\u2019t you goin\u2019 to eat, too?\u201d\u00a0 Joe scooted over on the crate to allow Hop Sing room to sit.<\/p>\n

Hesitating for a moment, Hop Sing perched next to Joe and began eating his own meal.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow did you meet my pa?\u201d Joe asked around mouthfuls.<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing cook in big house in Port-land.\u00a0 Two months ago, Hop Sing going home at night when attacked by white men.\u00a0 Very bad\u2014cannot run and too many to fight.\u201d\u00a0 He pointed to a scar above his right ear.\u00a0 \u201cHonorable father see what happen and fight men-scare them off.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy did they attack you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho know?\u201d\u00a0 Hop Sing shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cMaybe not like Chinese.\u00a0 Mistah Ben tell Hop Sing about journey.\u00a0 Sound like hero\u2019s story from long ago.\u00a0 Mistah Ben not well.\u00a0 Mistah Ben need Hop Sing to take care of him.\u00a0 Hop Sing come along to see end of story.\u201d<\/p>\n

Noticing Joe had nearly finished, Hop Sing jumped up and shouted another demand to those inside the kitchen.<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing tell cousin to bring my L\u2019il Joe more food.\u201d\u00a0 When Joe started to object, he found himself the target of the little man\u2019s indignation.<\/p>\n

\u201cL\u2019il Joe not argue.\u00a0 Hop Sing know best.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, all right,\u201d Joe muttered.\u00a0 They sat in silence for a few moments except for the sound of Joe digging his boot toe in the dirt.\u00a0 Finally he gathered his courage and caught Hop Sing\u2019s eye.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat boy need?\u201d Hop Sing asked gently.<\/p>\n

Joe swallowed hard.<\/p>\n

\u201cTell me about my pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

XXXXXXXXXX<\/p>\n

Bearing the basket of food, they heard\u00a0his brother\u00a0shouting before they opened the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cI won\u2019t have it!\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe hardly ever heard Adam yell like that.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, son, I reckon that\u2019s up to your pa,\u201d the sheriff interjected mildly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith all due respect,\u201d Adam modulated his tone and volume with effort, \u201cI<\/em> am legally responsible for Little Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoping to break the tension, Joe spoke up, \u201cYep, Adam is my loco parent.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not helping, brat!\u201d Adam lightly cuffed the back of Joe\u2019s head.\u00a0 \u201cBut he\u2019s right.\u00a0 Joe is Grandfather Stoddard\u2019s ward, and I\u2019ve been designated in loco parentis<\/em>.”<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s pain at the pronouncement was evident to all.\u00a0 He turned away from his sons to sit dejectedly in one of the chairs.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a good plan, Adam, and we\u2019d all be around,\u201d the sheriff argued. \u201cIt ain\u2019t much risk.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you understand, I won\u2019t have him at any risk,\u201d Adam was back to hollering.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone hang on,\u201d said Hoss.\u00a0 \u201cThe three of us have gotta talk.\u201d\u00a0 Hoss grabbed Adam by the elbow and pushed both brothers outside.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s goin\u2019 on?\u201d\u00a0 Joe asked.<\/p>\n

Hoss hunkered down to Joe\u2019s eye level.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe think we got that Grady character figgered out.\u201d Adam snorted, but Hoss silenced him with a glare.<\/p>\n

\u201cSee, all those documents have already been recorded at the courthouse back home.\u00a0 The judge could declare Pa dead any time.\u201d\u00a0 Hoss paused, but Joe gave him a \u201ckeep on going\u201d gesture.\u00a0 \u201cIf me and Adam were dead too, like that Higdon feller said was the plan, not missing like Pa was, but dead\u2014well, you\u2019d inherit everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo . . .\u201d Joe prompted.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, if you were \u2018rescued,\u2019 say by Grady, we\u2019re thinkin\u2019 the judge might be liable to make Grady your guardian.\u00a0 Once that happened, he could take over your inheritance\u2014the Ponderosa and everything while you weren\u2019t looking.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut why,\u201d Little Joe sputtered, \u201cwhy not just kill us all?\u201d\u00a0 This logic was way too convoluted for him.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause this way, Grady just sort of slips into Pa\u2019s shoes without any fuss or even havin\u2019 to spend no money.\u201d\u00a0 Hoss gave Joe a pat, \u201cplus, we think Mr. Grady likes you and wants you around.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, what are we gonna do?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam answered, \u201cThe sheriff wants to set up a trap\u2014with you as bait.\u00a0 Why Pa would even go along with this . . .\u201d Adam threw up his hands in disgust.<\/p>\n

\u201cDang it, Adam.\u00a0 It ain\u2019t baitin\u2019 no trap with Joe,\u201d Hoss growled.\u00a0 The sheriff thinks Grady can be tricked into showing his hand.\u00a0 Pa don\u2019t like it any more than you do.\u00a0 But doggone, we\u2019re sittin\u2019 ducks right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Turning back to Joe, Hoss continued, \u201cThere\u2019s a little risk, but everyone would be close by.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe looked up at Adam\u2019s troubled face. \u201cI won\u2019t do nothin\u2019 you don\u2019t want me to,\u201d he promised.\u00a0 \u201cBut do you think this would fix things?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFix things?\u00a0 I don\u2019t know about that, buddy.\u201d\u00a0 Adam stopped his moody pacing. \u201cIf we catch Grady off-guard, we might be able to put an end to it.\u201d\u00a0 He sighed, \u201cHoss is right.\u00a0 We might be at more risk by doing nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both brothers waited for his response.\u00a0 Joe took a deep breath and squared his shoulders.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

XXXXXXXXXX<\/p>\n

Looking at things objectively, Ezra Grady could brag that he was a successful man.\u00a0 However, he couldn\u2019t remember ever before feeling this jubilant over one of his schemes.<\/p>\n

Virginia City had been stunned by the news from Sacramento about the Cartwright boys.\u00a0 Sheriff Coffee had left town to retrieve the bodies of Adam and Hoss Cartwright.\u00a0 Apparently, the youngest boy had been taken by the gunslinger responsible for murdering his brothers. Wasn\u2019t it a darn shame?<\/p>\n

Wearing the same mournful face as the rest of the town folks, Grady was hardly able to conceal his glee; especially after he had received his own telegram that evening:<\/p>\n

Three miles east in Purdy Canyon off the Austin road.\u00a0 Higdon.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Everything had fallen into place just\u00a0as he\u2019d planned.\u00a0 Oh, there were a few fussy details needing attention: \u2018rescue\u2019 the boy from his kidnapper, bury the brothers, have the judge finally declare Cartwright dead and appoint him guardian.\u00a0 Piddling stuff, really.<\/p>\n

Soon enough, though, Ezra Grady would be the master of the Ponderosa\u2014residing in the sunshine of prosperous respectability instead of the glare of notoriety.\u00a0 He\u2019d have money, reputation, and a bright, handsome boy by his side.\u00a0 It was everything he\u2019d ever imagined for himself.<\/p>\n

One more piddling detail . .\u00a0 .\u00a0 <\/em>A man of his stature sure wouldn\u2019t need someone like Nat Higdon hanging around him.\u00a0 \u00a0Might as well make it a real rescue.<\/p>\n

XXXXXXXXXX<\/p>\n

Ben absentmindedly patted the coat pocket containing the small Bible that Adam had pressed into his hands before departing with the others to set the trap.\u00a0 The little book was heavier than he remembered.\u00a0 He\u2019d always carried it with him on his travels\u2014always\u2014until that last journey seven years ago.\u00a0 Why had he left it behind?\u00a0 He couldn\u2019t remember.<\/p>\n

When his ordeal was still new, he\u2019d prayed constantly. Every step, every breath brought forth a word to the Almighty.\u00a0 He\u2019d prayed for rescue at first as well as protection for his sons and himself.\u00a0 He\u2019d uttered prayers of thanksgiving for his survival and whatever slim opportunities presented themselves that brought him closer to home.\u00a0 He\u2019d prayed for the well-being of his shipmates, Indians, and most of all for his sons.\u00a0 As he endured the months of nearly constant darkness during those captive winters, he\u2019d prayed for strength.\u00a0 But, somehow, after all the time locked in fields of ice\u2014isolated, bereft, and hopeless, it occurred to him that the Almighty couldn\u2019t hear him . . . had maybe even forgotten Ben Cartwright.\u00a0 Since he figured he was on his own now, after a while he\u2019d simply forgotten to pray.<\/p>\n

He shifted in the saddle atop Nat Higdon\u2019s horse.\u00a0 Lately, he\u2019d done a lot more walking than riding, and his backside was reminding him of the fact.\u00a0 It hadn\u2019t helped that he\u2019d slept poorly the night before, but Ben couldn\u2019t remember his last good sleep.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t just the actual nightmares taking him places he didn\u2019t want to be.\u00a0 Simply closing his eyes produced disturbing chaotic images.\u00a0 If he allowed himself to close his eyes as he rode, he knew what he\u2019d see\u2014Nat Higdon\u2019s brutish features . . . Nat Higdon\u2019s cruel hands on his boy.\u00a0 Learning\u00a0that Ezra Grady was behind it all was nearly too much to bear.<\/p>\n

So Ben kept his eyes open and fixed on his son riding beside him.\u00a0 Since it was just the two of them, Little Joe had opened up a bit and begun acting and speaking more naturally.\u00a0 It was astounding what the boy found to talk about!<\/p>\n

Joe began with a running commentary on the scenery before moving on to stories about school, his brothers, and the Ponderosa.\u00a0 Whether Ben responded or not made little difference.\u00a0 Neither did Joe refrain from questioning Ben about his time aboard ship.\u00a0 When Ben could bring himself to answer, he found Little Joe was a good listener.\u00a0 His boy even made him laugh.\u00a0 To some extent, talking helped.<\/p>\n

Yet, during a rare moment of silence, Ben found his attention lingering on the bruises Higdon had inflicted on Joe.\u00a0 That son of a . . .<\/em> \u00a0Bile rose in his throat and he clutched the reins with white-knuckled fury.\u00a0 He must have made some sound because Joe looked at him questioningly, \u201cSir?\u201d<\/p>\n

Shaking his head, he wiped a hand across his eyes and over his smooth jaw.\u00a0 His beard was gone along with his buckskin outfit.\u00a0 Dressed in a long coat and ordinary trousers, in many ways he more closely resembled the old Ben Cartwright.He tried to smile for his son, \u201cI\u2019m fine, Joseph, I promise.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben made a promise to himself as well.\u00a0 No matter what, Ezra Grady was going to pay for what he had done.<\/p>\n

XXXXXXXXXX<\/p>\n

Grady fought to keep the buggy upright on the rutted trail.\u00a0 He\u2019d considered riding, but knew he wasn\u2019t physically up to the challenge.\u00a0 Besides, this way he could bring Little Joe back with him in comfort.\u00a0 Yessir, he could picture the boy\u2019s surprise in seeing him come along.\u00a0 After what the poor young\u2019un had been through, he\u2019d be grateful for the rescue.\u00a0 With time, that gratitude would strengthen into affection for his adopted father.\u00a0 Nothing would be too good for Joe as far as Grady was concerned.\u00a0 He\u2019d make sure the boy enjoyed every luxury, and the two of them would become as close as any friends could be.\u00a0 He smiled in satisfaction at his vision; he could hardly wait to start making it a reality.<\/p>\n

What would the townsfolk say when they saw that Grady had rescued the youngest Cartwright?\u00a0 He\u2019d explain he had been on his way to Austin on business when he\u2019d detected suspicious signs along the trail.\u00a0 He\u2019d describe how he had come upon the outlaw\u2019s campsite and faced the man down.\u00a0 He imagined the uproar, the pleasing fuss that would be made over him and his courage in dispatching the boy\u2019s kidnapper.\u00a0 It would be a hero\u2019s welcome, no doubt.<\/p>\n

He hoped\u00a0Higdon was smart enough to keep the boy ignorant of his identity.\u00a0 Surely the child wouldn\u2019t recognize the rascal.\u00a0 If Joe did remember seeing the gunslinger around town, Grady would convince the boy that he was mistaken\u2014too shocked and confused by the ordeal to really know.<\/p>\n

Grady shielded his eyes looking for some clue to their location.\u00a0 It was hard to see with the sunlight glaring off rock.\u00a0 He took a swig of water and wiped his sweaty brow.\u00a0 The jostling buggy ride combined with the heat upset his stomach; he could even feel a cramping pain from his jaw on down his left arm from hanging onto the reins all day.\u00a0 Well, after this, I\u2019ll be damned if I ever drive my own buggy again.\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

He could just make out the little column of smoke that had to be a camp fire. Bringing the vehicle to a halt, he climbed down and pulled out his new pistol and its fancy holster from underneath the seat.\u00a0 Grady knew he wasn\u2019t much of a shot.\u00a0 He was counting on getting pretty close and surprising Higdon.<\/p>\n

XXXXXXXXXX<\/p>\n

Joe saw the signal first.\u00a0 A few flashes of light from the hilltop.\u00a0 Adam and Hoss must have seen Grady heading in their direction.\u00a0 His brothers and Hop Sing would be hurrying to get into position.\u00a0Joe handed the soft old rope to Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cGo ahead\u2014tie them like we talked about,\u201d\u00a0Joe held out his wrists to his father.\u00a0 \u00a0Making the complex knot, Ben reminded Joe how to use his fingers to quickly free himself.\u00a0 Settling the boy in some shade, he moved in the direction of the nearby creek.\u00a0 Ducking behind a boulder, Ben waited for Grady to appear.<\/p>\n

XXXXXXXXXX<\/p>\n

\u201cThere!\u00a0 Adam, do you see that dust cloud?\u00a0 That\u2019s a buggy comin,\u2019 and this ain\u2019t no casual picnic spot,\u201d Hoss pointed out.<\/p>\n

Adam pulled the mirror from his pocket and positioned it to catch the sunlight.\u00a0 He saw Joe give a little wave in response to the signal.\u00a0 So far, so good.\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cCan you spot Sheriff McCray\u00a0and Roy?\u201d asked Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u00a0 I don\u2019t see \u2018em yet.\u201d\u00a0 Hoss shifted a little on the pile of stones to get a better view.\u00a0 \u201cThey shoulda made it by now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t wait!\u00a0 We gotta move,\u201d Adam said.\u00a0 He turned to help Hop Sing start down the hillside.\u00a0 Before they\u2019d gone two steps, he heard the rattling of the stones shifting under Hoss\u2019s feet.\u00a0 Helplessly, Adam watched Hoss fall.<\/p>\n

XXXXXXXXXXX<\/p>\n

Moving as stealthily as he was able, Grady crept around rocks and tried to stay in the shadows.\u00a0 It was a longer walk than he had counted on.\u00a0 He was short of breath by the time he saw the campsite.\u00a0 There was Higdon\u2019s horse all right along with another animal, but he couldn\u2019t see the murderin\u2019 scoundrel.\u00a0 He did see the boy, though, leaning up against a rock with his hands tied in front of him.\u00a0 Grady slipped in closer, peering around a scraggly shrub.\u00a0 Poor kid had his eyes closed, probably asleep.<\/p>\n

\u201cLittle Joe!\u201d\u00a0 Grady called out in a hoarse whisper.\u00a0 \u201cLittle Joe, wake up!\u00a0 I\u2019ve come to rescue you.\u201d\u00a0 He received no response.\u00a0 The youngster didn\u2019t even move.\u00a0 Grady checked again for Higdon.\u00a0 Seeing no sign of the man, he scampered right over to Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cLittle Joe, I\u2019m here, son!\u201d\u00a0 Finally, the boy moved and opened his eyes.\u00a0 Instead of the startled expression Grady expected, Joe was strangely calm.\u00a0 Inexplicably, this pleased Grady.\u00a0 Somehow, the boy had expected his help\u2014no, counted<\/em> on his help.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s it, Little Joe.\u00a0 It\u2019s me, Uncle Ezra.\u00a0 We need to get you out of here before that outlaw gets back.\u201d\u00a0 Grady tugged at the ropes, pleased that he was able to free the boy so quickly.\u00a0 When he caught sight of the bruises on Joe\u2019s face, he sucked in a whistling breath through his teeth.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid Higdon do that to you?\u00a0 There wasn\u2019t a bit of need for that.\u00a0 Don\u2019t you worry; I\u2019ll take care of him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUncle Ezra,\u201d the boy finally spoke to him.\u00a0 \u201cHow do you know the man\u2019s name?\u201d\u00a0 Hearing Little Joe call him \u2018Uncle Ezra\u2019 sent such a delighted thrill through him that he nearly missed what was actually said.\u00a0 Grady was casting about for some plausible explanation when he heard the crunch of gravel behind him.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Uncle Ezra<\/em>, how did<\/em> you know the man\u2019s name?\u201d<\/p>\n

XXXXXXXXXX<\/p>\n

Where is everyone?<\/em>\u00a0 Here was Grady as expected, and he\u2019d just given away the fact that he knew Higdon had taken Joe.\u00a0 This was what they\u2019d wanted: proof Grady was involved.\u00a0 But instead of everyone coming forward to arrest him, it was still only the three of them.<\/p>\n

Grady pushed to his feet, leaning heavily on Joe\u2019s shoulder.\u00a0 From the look on the old coot\u2019s face, Joe had to give him credit for being able to stand up at all.\u00a0 Grady\u2019s skin was a waxen gray, and his breath was coming in short gasps.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow . . .?\u201d\u00a0 Grady managed to ask Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not your concern.\u201d Ben snarled.\u00a0 His rifle was aimed at the dead center of Grady\u2019s chest.\u00a0 \u201cBut I would like to know why.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe felt Grady draw himself up straighter and resume some of his normal patronizing air.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re dead, Ben Cartwright, you just don\u2019t know it yet.\u00a0 You never did deserve what you had, so you lost it.\u00a0 I\u2019m a man who knows how to make his own luck, and I ain\u2019t never squandered an opportunity.\u201d\u00a0 Grady grabbed a fistful of Joe\u2019s jacket and dragged him up to stand at his side.\u00a0 He pointed a shaky finger at Ben.<\/p>\n

“There he is, Little Joe.\u00a0 The man that abandoned you all those years ago,” declared Grady.\u00a0 He\u00a0grinned a little at Ben’s hiss of response and\u00a0leaned hard on\u00a0Joe’s shoulder to steady himself.\u00a0\u00a0“Move along, Ben.\u00a0 Go back to whatever hole you crawled out of.\u00a0 I\u2019ll take care of your legacy from now on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe saw his pa\u2019s face change then.\u00a0 Eyes that had been blazing with fury seemed to go cold as ice.\u00a0\u00a0Mr. Grady must have noticed something, too, because that\u2019s when he pulled a shiny new pistol out of his gun belt and pointed it square at Little Joe\u2019s head.<\/p>\n

I guess I’m not the favorite nephew anymore.<\/em><\/p>\n

Joe didn’t have a lot of experience with desperate men, but he seemed to be in presence of one.\u00a0\u00a0 A moment before, Grady’s demeanor was haughty and possessive.\u00a0 In the face of Ben’s Cartwright’s wrath,\u00a0his attitude crumbled\u00a0into a mere\u00a0gamble for survival.<\/p>\n

\u201cPut the gun down, Ben, or you lose everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

XXXXXXXXXX<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s gun never wavered.\u00a0 His hands were rock steady. With Grady already in his sights, he could shoot him down before the man knew what hit him. He studied Grady in\u00a0 fascination.\u00a0 This quaking, sweating lump of a man had feasted on his sons\u2019 misfortune for seven years.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t believe for a minute that Grady was capable of shooting Little Joe.\u00a0 Oh, the man could murder by proxy, no doubt.\u00a0 But to spill the blood of a child he\u2019d hoped to call his own?\u00a0 Would Grady dare pull the trigger to end Joe\u2019s life?\u00a0 No, Ben knew better. His spirit soared at this perfect opportunity.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d\u00a0 There was terror in the boy\u2019s green eyes. But . . . Little Joe wasn\u2019t just\u00a0afraid of Grady.\u00a0 His son was also afraid of . . . him<\/em>.\u00a0 Has Joe seen what I\u2019ve become?\u00a0 <\/em>Concentration broken momentarily, the rifle butt dropped from his shoulder.\u00a0 Ben took a couple of long breaths to steady himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cDrop the gun, Ben!\u00a0 I\u2019ll kill him!\u00a0 I\u2019ll do it.\u201d\u00a0 Grady was struggling to stand up, and he clamped his free hand hard on the back of Little Joe\u2019s neck.\u00a0 Joe winced in pain.<\/p>\n

Ben made his decision.\u00a0 He jerked the rifle up and snugged it against his shoulder.\u00a0 The movement pulled at his coat emptying the pocket\u2019s contents onto the ground before him.\u00a0 Ben stared at the Bible lying in the dust, its worn leather cover lifting slightly in the breeze.\u00a0 Suddenly, he couldn\u2019t breathe.\u00a0 When he dared raise his eyes again, he saw Joe watching him.<\/p>\n

\u201cDamn you, Ben, drop the gun!\u201d Grady called out again.<\/p>\n

He couldn\u2019t do it.\u00a0 After all this time, he couldn\u2019t do it.\u00a0 He wouldn\u2019t take the chance with Joe\u2019s life; and he wouldn\u2019t take the chance with his own soul.\u00a0 Ben dropped his rifle into the dirt.\u00a0 It took all of his strength and self-control not to fall to the ground himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s better!\u201d\u00a0 It sounded as if Grady was talking through clenched teeth. \u201cI knew you were soft; I knew you\u2019d squander your opportunity!\u201d\u00a0 Grady swung the gun away from Little Joe and pointed it at Ben.\u00a0 He couldn\u2019t miss at this distance.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe?\u201d\u00a0 Ben called to his youngest.\u00a0 \u201cEverything will be all right.\u00a0 You\u2019ll be all right.\u201d<\/p>\n

This time, Ben\u2019s smile was peaceful and loving.\u00a0 As he gazed at his son, he watched Joe\u2019s eyes open wide as if in recognition, and the beginning of a delighted smile graced his boy\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

\u201cDear Lord\u00a0 . . . your will be done\u201d<\/em> was all Ben could manage before Grady raised a wavering arm and fired.<\/p>\n

XXXXXXXXXX<\/p>\n

Adam had barely roused his middle brother before Hoss was scolding him.<\/p>\n

\u201cGo! Go!\u00a0 You can\u2019t wait for me!\u201d Hoss might be bruised and bloody, but he was still determined.<\/p>\n

\u201cGo,\u201d said Hop Sing. \u201cI care for him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Before Adam could thank him, gunfire echoed from the canyon. Throwing caution and stealth to the wind, Adam sprinted away, slipping down the gravelly hillside and dodging manzanita.\u00a0 What he saw when he skidded into the campsite stole his breath.<\/p>\n

Little Joe was on the ground with their father\u2019s head and shoulders in his lap, Ben\u2019s face was turned into Joe\u2019s chest, and his hands were clutching Joe\u2019s jacket.\u00a0 Grady lay a few feet away writhing in pain.<\/p>\n

Joe lifted a tear-stained face when he heard Adam rush up.\u00a0 Adam swiped the back of his hand across his mouth before kneeling beside the pair.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s he hit?\u201d asked Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe ain\u2019t hit.\u00a0 Mr. Grady sorta grabbed his chest and fired into the dirt. \u00a0I think he\u2019s sick,\u201d Joe said.\u00a0 \u201cBut Pa collapsed, too, and when I ran over he just grabbed hold.\u00a0 I can\u2019t get him to talk to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pounding hooves announced Roy and the sheriff. After briefly considering the tableau, Roy went to Grady, loosening his collar and offering water to the groaning man.<\/p>\n

McCray\u00a0put a hand on Adam\u2019s shoulder.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were delayed,\u201d he said.\u00a0 Adam nodded, unable to speak.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s your brother and the Chinaman?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOver there,\u201d Adam pointed.\u00a0 \u201cThey could probably use some help.\u201d\u00a0 The sheriff trotted away.<\/p>\n

Adam reached out to his father, attempting to loosen the iron grip on Little Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, can you hear me?\u201d Adam begged.<\/p>\n

XXXXXXXXXX<\/p>\n

How could he?\u00a0 He\u2019d come so close . . . too close.\u00a0 He\u2019d almost forgotten himself.\u00a0 No, he did<\/em> forget, and forgetting had nearly made him as monstrous as Grady.\u00a0 Ben\u2019s shame was so profound, he didn\u2019t dare lift his head much less stand and face his sons.\u00a0 They would never forgive or accept him after seeing what he had become.<\/p>\n

Heaven help him, he\u2019d just wanted to escape the ice that had trapped him for so long\u00a0 . . . \u00a0the ice that had stayed within him through all those miles and all those days.\u00a0 What he wouldn\u2019t give to warm up and break free.<\/p>\n

But it seemed that even if he<\/em> had forgotten, he had not been forgotten<\/em>.\u00a0 The cold was indeed receding under an onslaught of soothing touches and warm embrace.\u00a0 His head began to clear; in fact, he was more clear-headed than he had felt in months.\u00a0 The blood pounding in his ears faded until he could only hear the steady heartbeat against his cheek.\u00a0 Other sounds became distinguishable:\u00a0 horses, birds and the blessed voices of his sons.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, everything\u2019s all right.\u00a0 We\u2019ve got you.\u201d<\/p>\n

XXXXXXXXXX<\/p>\n

They buried Grady in the canyon, carefully marking the grave in the unlikely event a relative might want to claim the body.\u00a0 He\u2019d fought and cursed until the end.\u00a0 His face in death was such a mask of terror and pain that Ben felt real compassion.<\/p>\n

It made no sense to travel so late in the day.\u00a0 Bed rolls and saddles were arranged around a cheerful fire.\u00a0 Hop Sing transformed beans, jerky and fresh rabbit into a feast.\u00a0 Hoss\u2019s injuries were minor and easily tended.\u00a0 The conversation and laughter lasted well into the night.\u00a0 When Ben finally settled down to rest, his arm was around his youngest son.\u00a0 He couldn\u2019t remember the last time he had slept so well.<\/p>\n

XXXXXXXXXX<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t thank you enough for the trouble you\u2019ve gone to on our behalf.\u201d\u00a0 Ben shook the McCray’s hand.\u00a0 He and Hop Sing were heading back to Sacramento.\u00a0 Roy had already left with Grady\u2019s buggy, his own horse tied to the vehicle.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright, I can\u2019t think of anyone more worthy of the trouble,\u201d the sheriff grinned in response.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d say you\u2019ve given me a story I\u2019ll be telling for years.\u201d\u00a0 Hop Sing sat up startled at the words and turned a speculative eye on the Cartwrights.<\/p>\n

Sheriff McCray\u00a0turned his horse and gestured for Hop Sing to ride alongside.\u00a0 The Cartwrights waved their farewells before heading toward Virginia City.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, son,\u201d Ben called to Little Joe.\u00a0 \u201cYou need to keep up.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Joe didn\u2019t answer, Ben reined his horse around to see why Joe was dawdling.\u00a0 The boy had his eyes on the trail behind them.\u00a0 A small dust cloud heralded the approach of another rider.\u00a0 They all waited in cheerful anticipation for their friend.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou decided to come with us?\u201d Joe asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cStory not over yet,\u201d said Hop Sing.<\/p>\n

Ben clapped his friend on the back.\u00a0 \u201cLet\u2019s go home.\u201d<\/p>\n

XXXXXXXXXX\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 THE END\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 XXXXXXXXXX<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Next in the In Absentia Series:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Restitution
\n<\/a>All Through the Night<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[i] Macbeth<\/p>\n

[ii] Ecclesiastes 3:1-4<\/p>\n

[iii] Revelation 21:4<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tags:\u00a0 Abel Stoddard,\u00a0Family,\u00a0hostage,\u00a0kidnap,\u00a0villain<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0 The boys have been forced to accept heartrending loss.\u00a0 Is it time to move on?\u00a0 K+ (15,750 words)<\/p>\n

In Absentia Series, links to stories within the series are included.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":9524,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[7,23,41,32],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9523","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-a-u","category-drama","category-hurtcomfort","category-mystery","wpcat-7-id","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-41-id","wpcat-32-id"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/In-Absenta-Small.gif?fit=657%2C480&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9523","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/35"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9523"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9523\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/9524"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9523"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9523"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9523"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}