{"id":9659,"date":"2014-09-05T17:52:54","date_gmt":"2014-09-05T21:52:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=9659"},"modified":"2025-02-18T19:21:05","modified_gmt":"2025-02-19T00:21:05","slug":"reunions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=9659","title":{"rendered":"Reunions (by MissJudy)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:<\/strong> A story of Cartwright family love:\u00a0\u00a0 When Adam refuses to fight for his life\u2026or his limb\u2026after his Mountain of the Dead experience, (The Savage<\/em>) Hoss and Joe return to the camp where they found him and figure out what really happened there. Hoss confirms that Ruth was real, but in following his Adam\u2019s journey, he also finds truths his older brother couldn’t see. Twelve years later, Adam is a happy husband and father\u00a0living in Boston at the time he travels to San Francisco where he meets his\u00a0father and brothers\u00a0there for a reunion. Another \u201cunexpected\u201d reunion sheds more light on the past.<\/p>\n

Rating:<\/strong> T \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Word Count<\/strong>: 22,384<\/p>\n

Reunions<\/strong><\/p>\n

Part 1<\/strong><\/p>\n

Chapter 1<\/strong><\/p>\n

1860<\/strong><\/p>\n

Paul Martin left Adam\u2019s bedside, indicating with a quick jerk of his head that he wanted Ben to join him in the hall. Out of his patient\u2019s earshot, he said, \u201cYou can see that it\u2019s not going well, and if things don\u2019t improve in a day or so, it\u2019s going to have to come off.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben shook his head. \u201cI don\u2019t understand.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat leg is festering somewhere.\u201d He exhaled through clenched teeth. \u201cThe wound isn\u2019t draining as I\u2019d expect it would if it was badly infected, but the symptoms are all there anyway. Adam\u2019s leg is hot, red, and looks like it\u2019s ready to explode. And you saw the red streaks that almost look like tree roots.\u201d<\/p>\n

A nod. \u201cWhat does that mean?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt best\u2026the tissue in the rest of his leg is inflamed; at worst, it\u2019s a sign that the infection is spreading\u2026fast.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know that I can make this decision for him; it\u2019s so\u2026final.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been speculating on this from the very beginning, Ben; you just didn\u2019t want to hear me. It would have hurt like hades, but I wish the person who removed the arrow would have pushed it through the rest of the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat difference would that have made?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think there\u2019s a pocket of infected, dying tissue imbedded deep in his muscle where the arrowhead was lodged, and that\u2019s causing all the trouble. We\u2019ve been working at the wound from this end, and with the irrigation and compresses we\u2019ve been doing, the outside looks better. Still, his leg<\/em> is worsening, and I\u2019m running out of ideas.\u201d Paul watched as Ben leaned back against the wall, and covered his face with his hands. The friend in him wanted to rescind his warning, and tell the man not to worry\u2014that everything would be all right. But as a doctor, he had to make sure that everyone was prepared to move quickly when it became necessary. He leaned toward Ben, gently grasping his shoulders. \u201cI\u2019m going to talk to Adam about this, but he\u2019s getting sicker so he may not be able to consent when it comes time. If that\u2019s the case, I\u2019ll need your go-ahead to amputate. I know this will be the hardest decision of your life.\u201d Paul shook his head as he sighed. \u201cIt will be the hardest decision of my life too. But if we wait too long, the infection may start spreading upwards as well, and then it\u2019ll be too late to do anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Hoss had been in Adam\u2019s room too, and followed the two men to doorway to hear what they were saying. He knew his brother was in bad shape, but his head and gut spun when he heard Paul talk about amputation. This entire odyssey had begun three weeks back when Adam had won an argument with Pa over going to see a demonstration of the Fairbanks windmill* in Nevada City. \u00a0Adam had ridden off in good spirits, and there\u2019d been no reason for his family to think anything was amiss until Sport had showed up at the ranch two days later with a dusty saddle, and no sign of its rider. They\u2019d set out in search of the missing Cartwright, and had finally found Adam at a trapper\u2019s camp in an Indian burial ground.<\/p>\n

Hoss remembered saying that his brother looked like he\u2019d \u201ctangled with a grizzly,\u201d because he\u2019d been battered, bruised, running a high fever, and half-dead looking\u2026at first. After coming to a little, he\u2019d become agitated and had carried on about having to go after Ruth, the person who\u2019d taken care of him. The camp where they\u2019d found him had been used by \u201csomeone,\u201d but other than the presence of a Bible containing the name, Ruth Halverson, there had been no signs of a woman.<\/p>\n

They\u2019d all listened with raised eyebrows as Adam had talked about a young woman who\u2019d been taken by the Shoshone because they thought she was a powerful spirit who could heal their sick. \u00a0The real head scratching part had come when Adam had said he\u2019d wanted to marry this gal. Their Pa had been wise enough to hold onto his doubts about the story at the time, instead convincing his brother that going after her and the Shoshone would put Ruth\u2019s life in danger.<\/p>\n

It hadn\u2019t been easy to get his brother to leave, but Pa had mentioned going to look for Ruth later, after she\u2019d had a little time to do what she could for the Shoshone. Adam hadn\u2019t exactly agreed with the proposal, but he\u2019d resigned himself to going home for the time being.<\/p>\n

What had bothered the middle Cartwright brother the most was that Adam hadn\u2019t acted like Adam from then on. There was no spark, and that was purely odd. Adam was a fighter. He\u2019d been through a lot of skirmishes and mishaps, and had never given up before. In fact he\u2019d been gut-shot by one of Cochise\u2019s braves just a year back, and had made a full recovery even though the odds had been against that happening.<\/p>\n

An uneasy feeling was growing in Hoss\u2019s gut that Adam was giving up this time<\/em>. He hadn\u2019t even been able sit his horse on the way out of the burial grounds, and after sliding to the ground twice, Hoss had gone back for the travois he\u2019d seen at the camp. They\u2019d used that to get his brother home without adding to his injuries.<\/p>\n

Adam had been listless and irritable from the time they\u2019d left \u201cRuth\u2019s\u201d camp behind, and seemed lost in a world of pain that wasn\u2019t just from bodily grief. Hoss had spent a good deal of time at his brother\u2019s side since they\u2019d been home, and Adam\u2019s suffering was so deep and dark that Hoss swore that at times he could see it hovering over the man like the low-floating storm clouds that sometimes engulfed the hillsides on the Ponderosa. There seemed no relief from it even with the strong doses of morphine that Paul was giving him, and that made Hoss wonder if some kinds of pain couldn\u2019t be controlled by medicine because they came from the soul, not the body.<\/p>\n

In hindsight, Hoss wished they\u2019d looked for the clues at the camp before leaving that would have confirmed the longer version of the story Adam had told them later when they\u2019d cleared the Shoshone land. Still, they hadn\u2019t noticed any women\u2019s things as they\u2019d gathered Adam\u2019s belongings. If Ruth had been there, she had taken everything except the Bible when she\u2019d left. \u00a0Without proof, they\u2019d decided that Adam had probably been shot, just as the other trappers they\u2019d found there had been, and had removed the arrow himself. Then in the delirium from his rising fever, he\u2019d woven a mind-story from what he\u2019d found in the camp he\u2019d stumbled on. It didn\u2019t matter though, because whether or not they<\/em> believed Ruth had been there; Adam did.<\/p>\n

Pa had given Adam\u2019s account of what had happened to Paul Martin once they made it to the Ponderosa\u2014minus the details of the love affair with a spirit woman. Paul had examined the wound and then shook his head and drew a deep, hissing breath as he\u2019d given his conclusion. \u201cHe\u2019s exhausted, dehydrated and banged up from the fall he took after being hit with the arrow. But all that will resolve quickly with rest and care. The leg wound is something else entirely. It\u2019s going to take a miracle for this to heal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hearing what Paul was telling Pa now; Hoss decided the fear that had settled deep into his gut a few days back was justified: there was no miracle in the making, even though he\u2019d been praying for one. He took a quick look back at his brother, and wondered what Adam would have to say about the discussion occurring in the hall. His attention returned to the conversation when he heard his pa ask another question.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo\u2026if it becomes necessary\u2026to\u2026remove\u2026\u201d Ben shuddered before being able to continue. \u201cWhere would you take it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt has to be above the knee. The infection is too close to the joint for me to create a usable stump below it, and then there\u2019s the chance that I\u2019d have to do further removal if I don\u2019t clear the infected tissue and bone.\u201d Paul noticed Ben paling while sinking back against the wall, and he helped his friend to sit on the floor. Crouching next to him, he said, \u201cI\u2019m sorry. I shouldn\u2019t be quite so blunt. When I act as a doctor, I have to remove my friendship with the patient and family from the equation to be able to do what I need to. I know this is hard, but you need to think about this just as you would for anyone in the same situation. The decision is too emotional when you apply it to your son. It\u2019ll rip you apart inside and keep you from acting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s cheeks began to color again, but he stayed put and sighed deeply. \u201cI am<\/em> trying to think about what\u2019s necessary to save his life, but if you do what you say you have to, he\u2019s won\u2019t be able to walk without crutches. How can he work the ranch, ride a horse or get around out here where the terrain would be unforgiving to a one-legged man?\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul chuckled sadly and sat on the floor next to his friend. \u201cYou\u2019re thinking too far ahead. We have to get him healthy before he can worry about what he\u2019ll do. And may I remind you that your son has an engineering degree from a prestigious Eastern school, so it\u2019s not like he\u2019ll lose his livelihood with this. It will take courage, and I can guarantee he\u2019ll go through a great deal of readjustment, but he can do it.\u201d He looked over at Ben and saw a nod of agreement. \u201cWhen he\u2019s ready, we\u2019ll get him back on his feet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you mean foot?\u201d Ben interjected with a grunt.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I mean feet\u2014even if one of them isn\u2019t exactly his. With Adam\u2019s brains and resources, he can research what\u2019s available and figure which prosthetic will work best for him. And with Adam\u2019s engineering skills, he might even come up with something better. First we need to save his life; then we\u2019ll work out the details.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd if you don\u2019t do this?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen your son will find out what it\u2019s like to die by inches. The infection will get worse, and toxins will be released into his blood, making him sicker by the day. The dead tissue will become gangrenous and the pain will be unbearable. He\u2019ll only die when the infection gets to his heart or brain.\u201d The pallor returned, and Ben was breathing rapidly while beginning to sweat. Paul apologized again, but added, \u201cYou have to know the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019s head snapped back toward the bed when he heard a moan as his brother awakened.<\/p>\n

Adam struggled to sit up, yelping as he moved his battered leg. His eyes were glazed in pain as he locked his brother in a steely stare. \u201cWhat\u2019s going on out there?\u201d He chuckled humorlessly. \u201cMust be bad if they had to go out in the hall to talk about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYa really wanna know, \u2018cuz the news ain\u2019t good.\u201d Hoss wasn\u2019t sure what to do, but figured the decision to take a limb was something the person who was about to lose it had a right to make.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat bad, huh?\u201d He sighed and adjusted his back against the pillows to get more comfortable. \u201cYou better tell me. And don\u2019t try to sugar coat it or make it sound better than it is, like Pa would.\u201d<\/p>\n

After an audible gulp, Hoss said, \u201cThey\u2019s talkin\u2019 about taking that bad part of your leg off iffen it don\u2019t get better real fast.\u201d<\/p>\n

The color of Adam\u2019s face faded to match the white sheets on the bed. \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhadaya mean? Paul says if he don\u2019t do it, it\u2019ll kill you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI said no, and I mean no. I think I still have the right to decide what happens to me.\u201d He sighed as he slid back down in the bed. \u201cWhat\u2019s the point in living with guilt for the rest of my life? I deserve what I\u2019m getting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss made a quick glance toward the door. \u201cDon\u2019t let Pa hear you talkin\u2019 that way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy not?\u201d<\/p>\n

The big man\u2019s cheeks flushed as he shook his head. \u201cIf this was happenin\u2019 to me, I might feel like givin\u2019 up. I only know how to one thing, and if that was taken away, I don\u2019t know how I\u2019d get on. But you\u2026you can do anything you want. You\u2019re smart; you have a good education, and you catch on to everything you\u2019ve ever tried. Seems like the world would be open to you\u2014on one leg or two. You think on that for a bit, brother. I know you\u2019re hard-headed, but I ain\u2019t never knowd you to be a coward.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s eerie laugh chilled the room. \u201cThen you should have been with me when the Shoshone came for Ruth. And if that\u2019s not evidence enough of my cowardice, how about the day I let Pa talk me out of going after her? I say let the pain take over, because it\u2019s the only time I can concentrate on something besides<\/em> being a coward.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019s tone softened. \u201cBut Adam\u2026you don\u2019t even know\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

He cut his brother off in mid-sentence. \u201cDon\u2019t you dare! I see how you three roll your eyes or look away whenever I mention Ruth\u2019s name. I know you all think I imagined her because I was crazy with fever or something.\u201d He closed his eyes and groaned as a wave of pain shot up his leg. His breath was coming in gasps as he hollered, \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter if you don\u2019t believe me. I know what happened, and<\/em> that I deserve this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut, Adam, you was weak as a newborn pup when we found you. You couldn\u2019t have done much of any..,\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t care what you think. I don\u2019t care what any of you think. Either stand by my decision or get out and leave me to die alone. I will not let anyone take my leg,\u201d He rose up on his elbow and looked toward the door. \u201cI know you\u2019re out there, Pa, and you\u2019ve been listening, so don\u2019t you dare wait until I\u2019m unconscious and then go ahead with Paul\u2019s plan. I swear that if I wake up without my leg, I will take matters into my own hands.\u201d The outburst exhausted his strength and he fell back on the bed breathing hard, trembling, and clutching at the sheets.<\/p>\n

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

Ben began to stand while looking sheepishly at Paul. \u201cI\u2019ll go talk to him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul locked Ben\u2019s arm with a firm grip, and held him back. \u201cLet me go. He\u2019ll see your concern as pity and fatherly wheedling. I\u2019ll give him the facts that I gave you. He should understand better what he\u2019s up against, and accept the outcome.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd if he doesn\u2019t?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen I\u2019ll do just as he figures I\u2019ll do\u2026I\u2019ll take it off once he can\u2019t give his consent. People make bad decisions when they\u2019re in pain, and they need someone to intervene. Being ill, and yet knowing that the only thing that can make you better will disfigure you and make it hard to function like you always have, is too much to handle all at once. He\u2019ll hate me for it, but I\u2019d rather have him mad than dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Hoss found his father still sitting on the floor where he\u2019d been with Paul. \u201cThis thing with Adam does leave ya a little weak in the knees, don\u2019t it?\u201d he remarked as he slid down the wall next to him.<\/p>\n

Father and son looked towards the stairs as they heard footsteps. Little Joe appeared carrying a tray with food and a pot of coffee. \u201cHop Sing says none of you came down for lunch, and he doesn\u2019t want to throw this away\u2026so \u2018eat!\u2019\u201d Once the tray was positioned on the floor between father and son, and Hoss was digging into the roast beef sandwiches and pickles, Joe asked, \u201cWhat\u2019s going on? I heard Adam hollering all the way downstairs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben gave a sideways glance at his middle son. \u201cHow can you eat after what just went on?\u201d It wasn\u2019t uttered as an accusation or with disdain, just amazement at Hoss\u2019s voracious appetite even in stressful times.<\/p>\n

\u201cI ain\u2019t had a bite since last evenin\u2019, Pa. Maybe a little food in my belly will let me think straighter.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe looked from one man to the other and finally reminded them, \u201cAre one of you gonna tell me what\u2019s happening?\u201d His jaw dropped as his father explained the seriousness of Adam\u2019s situation and the probable outcome. \u201cI had no idea it had gotten that bad.\u201d His voice dropped off as he decided whether to offer his opinion. He squatted down and handed his father a sandwich. \u201cEat this. I think Hoss might actually be right about something.\u201d He grinned at his brother. \u201cMaybe you can think better with some food.\u201d After waiting for Ben to take a bite, he went ahead with his thoughts. \u201cDoes it seem to either of you that Adam has stopped caring what happens to him?\u201d Hoss nodded as he popped the last bit of sandwich into his mouth while Joe added, \u201cI haven\u2019t even heard him talk about getting better. It\u2019s like we brought home Adam\u2019s body, but left his spirit back on that mountain with the rest of the dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know just what yer talkin\u2019 about!\u201d Hoss blurted after he\u2019d swallowed. \u201cIt\u2019s what bothers me most.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded as he bit off another chunk of sandwich before tossing the rest of it back onto the plate. \u201cHe\u2019s been through a lot,\u201d he said as he chewed, \u201cand whatever happened out there won\u2019t leave him alone. He calls for Ruth while he sleeps, and I can see his eyes searching the room for her when he wakes up\u2014at least until he realizes where he is.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Hoss agreed. \u201cWhen he does figure out he\u2019s home, he looks purely miserable, and then pulls back into himself like a doggone turtle.\u201d<\/p>\n

A long sigh led into Ben\u2019s next thought. \u201cI wish there was some way to convince him that this was all a dream. Until he can forget her\u2026or at least stop blaming himself for not preventing something from happening to her, he isn\u2019t going to give himself permission to recover.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what I think too, Pa.\u201d Hoss looked to Little Joe and then back at his father. \u201cBut I\u2019m not so sure it didn\u2019t really happen.\u201d His father\u2019s snort made him pause, but he continued with more surety. \u201cSome of that story sounds like a tale. Yet, I think someone helped him, and someone lived at that camp. We\u2019d all sort a made up our minds that he was imagining it, so we didn\u2019t pay attention. We only saw what we wanted to out there, and I was thinking that I owe it to him to go back and take a better look. If this here, Ruth, was taken by the Shoshone, then maybe we do have to find her and give her a hand.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think he\u2019s right again, Pa,\u201d Joe added as he grabbed the tray and placed it on the table outside his bedroom. When he returned, he sat across the hallway from them and blew out a long breath. \u201cIt seems we always hold our breath around here when one of us is in trouble, and that feeling of not having enough air to fill our lungs doesn\u2019t go away until we do something about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

A small grin turned the left corner of Ben\u2019s scowl. \u201cWhat are you two proposing?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not sure what my little brother had in mind, but I want to ride back and do some investigatin\u2019. I\u2019ll follow the clues if there\u2019s any to be found.\u201d He laid a gentle hand on his father\u2019s arm. \u201cAnd don\u2019t tell me that there\u2019s too much work to be done to have me go out chasin\u2019 wild geese, because we ain\u2019t tended to our work since the day Sport came riding in alone. All that needs to be done is the normal things the hands do every day, and they\u2019s doing a good job anyway. We\u2019ll have this all taken care of by the time we need to move the herd again.\u201d<\/p>\n

The hall remained silent as Ben considered his son\u2019s plan. He was nodding as he agreed, \u201cI think you\u2019re right. Adam needs to know the truth, no matter what it is. Right now he\u2019s stuck. He says it really happened, but there\u2019s just enough doubt to leave him dangling between being a coward or losing his mind. It\u2019s tearing him up inside.\u201d He put his hand atop Hoss\u2019s. \u201cLeave as soon as you can, and take Little Joe. You can look after each other so I don\u2019t have to go searching for another missing son.\u201d Hoss and Joe stood, and each grabbed one of their father\u2019s hands to help him up. Once upright, he took them by the shoulders. \u201cHurry with this. Do a good job, but you don\u2019t have a lot of time to get back. From what Paul says, he can\u2019t let that leg go much longer or it\u2019ll be too late to do anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Adam\u2019s laugh was wry as he shook his head. \u201cI get it, Paul. You can explain how my leg will turn black and become so painful that you won\u2019t be able to give me anything strong enough to dampen the agony another 15 times, and it still won\u2019t make a difference. I don\u2019t\u2026want\u2026you\u2026to\u2026amputate\u2026my\u2026leg! Did I say that slowly enough for you to understand? It\u2019s my decision, and I\u2019ve made it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul never took any grief from Adam when he treated him, and sent back a verbal punch to the gut. \u201cIt\u2026may\u2026be\u2026your\u2026decision, but you\u2019re making it from a flawed perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis day is turning out to be so special,\u201d the patient laughed grimly. \u201cMy family is pretty sure I\u2019m crazy and imagining what happened to get me to this point, and now you think I\u2019m\u2026what\u2026too addled to choose what I want? Or is my leg so decayed already that it\u2019s rotting my brain.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI always enjoy it when you get defensive. You\u2019re so descriptive.\u201d He sat on the bed. \u201cI don\u2019t know what happened to get you to this point, and it doesn\u2019t matter. All I care about is what I can do to get you back to fighting form.\u201d He gave Adam a withering look when he heard his dismissive laugh. \u201cI guess what I\u2019m saying is that it seems a shame to bury all of you when I could remove the bad part, and still leave the rest of you to do a few useful things in your lifetime. Who knows what you might accomplish, even on one leg.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked away. \u201cI don\u2019t think there\u2019s a lot of good that can be accomplished by lunatic cowards, Paul, so I\u2019m asking you to honor my decision.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not leaving me with many options.\u201d Paul rose, and in an angry outburst, threw his medical bag on the floor, before shouting, \u201cYou\u2019re my friend, Adam. You can\u2019t ask me to let you go without trying!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen try.\u201d He reached up to take Paul\u2019s sleeve. \u201cYou said you didn\u2019t have \u2018many\u2019 options. That sounds like you still have something in mind. What is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul picked up his case, and laughed. \u201cYou are the only person who can get me mad enough to forget I\u2019m a healer, and want to throw you against the wall. Luckily my bag made a suitable substitution.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not actually a bad thing, is it, Paul? Maybe if you stay mad enough, you can keep me alive so you can kill me later.\u201d This time he gave the physician a genuine smile. \u201cTell me what you\u2019re thinking.\u201d<\/p>\n

Grabbing a sheet of paper and pencil from Adam\u2019s desk, along with a book to write on, Paul came back to the bed and began drawing pictures of a leg from different angles. \u201cHere\u2019s what I think is going on. The arrow went in here.\u201d He added an arrow to the picture to show where it had lodged. \u201cBut it pushed deeper with the fall, and created a sort of pocket in there when you pulled the arrow back out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRuth pulled it out, and did a good job.\u201d He watched Paul\u2019s brows rise in question. \u201cOh, I suppose my father left out the details of the imaginary woman who came to my aid. Don\u2019t worry about it, just go on.\u201d<\/p>\n

He shook his head and continued drawing a swirl of black to emphasize what he was about to explain. \u201cEverything that was on that arrow is still in there. The damaged tissue in your leg is also starting to break down, but we can\u2019t get to it from this side.\u201d Paul drew an upward slanted line to the other side of the leg. \u201cWhat I was thinking might help is if we\u2019d make an incision on this side\u2026one that will hurt as bad as anything you\u2019ve felt before. If I\u2019m lucky and get the angle right, I\u2019ll go into that mess and I can drain it from this side. We\u2019ll irrigate it around the clock with water and iodine, and see if we can keep it from getting worse.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat doesn\u2019t sound so awful. Do you think it could work?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. In fact it might speed up the progress towards gangrene, but it\u2019s something we can try.\u201d He gave Adam a lopsided smile. \u201cI may have forgotten to mention that I have to put a probe through the wound to make sure I can follow it back through from the other side. I\u2019ll go into town and bring back surgical supplies and ether, and I\u2019ll have Ben set a plank on saw horses as an operating table. And that\u2019s the beginning, not the end. I can\u2019t keep you anesthetized forever, and while I can help ease the pain with morphine, I can\u2019t keep you from feeling it most of the time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a chance, Paul, that\u2019s all I ask.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Paul was shaking Adam\u2019s hand to seal the deal they had just made when Hoss slipped into the room. \u201cSorry, to interrupt, but I gotta talk to my brother.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCome right in, I was just leaving,\u201d Paul said to Hoss before looking back at his patient. \u201cI\u2019ll see you later. Rest as much as you can until then.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss pulled a chair nearer the bed and began without preamble. \u201cYou gotta tell me about yer time with Ruth.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shot him a sour look. \u201cWhat\u2019s this about? First you don\u2019t want to hear about her because you think it confirms my delusion, and now you want details?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cListen, I know we\u2019ve been hard on ya, but you need to trust me now. The three of us been talkin\u2019, and feel bad that we didn\u2019t listen to you. Joe and I are gonna ride back out there and see what we can find.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do I know that you won\u2019t just go into town for a few days and then come back and reinforce that this was all in my mind? I suspect Pa thinks he could leverage that into getting me to agree to continue my life with a peg leg.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019s cheeks grew pink as he looked down at his feet. \u201cI ain\u2019t never lied to you, Adam, and you know it. Well, maybe a few times when we was kids and I was lookin\u2019 to get outta being punished when you was in charge, but never since we been growd.\u201d He looked up, meeting his brother\u2019s eyes with a resolute glare. \u201cI\u2019m purely sorry we didn\u2019t look around more before leaving that place, but it\u2019s not fair that you\u2019d even suggest I\u2019d do what you jest said, or that Pa would put me up to it. I will say this though; if we don\u2019t find nothin\u2019 to show that there was a woman there, then I\u2019m gonna tell you that too, even if it chaps your hide that maybe you\u2019re human and had to find comfort in a made up tale.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to go with you.\u201d Adam inched himself to the side of the bed and tried to move his right leg over the edge, but gasped with the reminder of his infirmity. After breathing deeply several times, he could finally speak again. \u201cAll right, I\u2019ll trust you, and I\u2019m sorry I said what I did. Don\u2019t worry; I\u2019ll listen to everything you report, whether it confirms or repudiates what happened.\u201d He got himself settled back in bed before asking, \u201cSo what do you want to know?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 2<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hoss and Little Joe entered the yard in full gallop and pulled their horses to an abrupt stop. They did a quick tie-up and hurried to the house to see how things had gone with Adam in their absence. Although they\u2019d managed to find a lot of information in a few days, it had seemed to them they\u2019d been gone for weeks. Little Joe beat his brother to the door, but waited for Hoss to join him before they entered. Both were surprised to see Adam sound asleep in the red leather chair, the low table pulled close and stacked with pillows on which only his left leg rested.<\/p>\n

\u201cLooks like Paul\u2019s plan to save his leg didn\u2019t go so well,\u201d Hoss whispered as he nudged Little Joe. \u201cJudging from the outline under that blanket he\u2019s covered with, they musta took the right one off just at his knee.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Little Joe whispered back as he grimaced. \u201dBut he looks a lot better. He\u2019s not so pale like he was, and the fact that he\u2019s down here instead of in his room is a good thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss nodded, and whispered back, \u201cMaybe jest knowin\u2019 we was going out to find the truth for him helped him face it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s all the whispering about over there?\u201d Adam\u2019s groggy voice drifted to them as he sat up and rubbed at his eyes. \u201cStop gabbing like two old ladies and get over here to tell me what you found out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUmm, we\u2019re sorry about what happened. But I\u2019m glad you decided to stick around even if it meant\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

The oldest brother squinted at them as his top lip rose in question. \u201cWhat are you talking about, Hoss?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYer leg, we\u2019re sorry you lost it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam looked down at the way he was sitting and started to laugh. He pulled the blanket back, brought his left leg to the floor, and stood up; taking a few steps toward them as he watched their mouths drop open. \u201cSorry to disappoint you, but both legs are present and accounted for.\u201d He laughed again as they remained rooted to the floor before shaking off their shock and making their way over to him. \u201cI had the right one down because it cramps when it\u2019s extended too long.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo Paul\u2019s plan worked?\u201d The question came from Little Joe as he hurried over to lend his older brother an arm for support to walk back to the chair.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt did. You can see that I\u2019m still a little wobbly, but things started improving within a few hours of making the drainage incision. The treatments were as vile as he promised, yet they worked. Paul said it was a \u2018miraculous recovery.\u201d He motioned for them to sit down. \u201cI\u2019m not sure what he\u2019s charging for miracles now days, but I\u2019m sure his bill will be painful too.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Hoss settled onto the settee next to Little Joe, he rolled his eyes to heaven in thanks, and grinned, thinking Paul had probably been right in his conclusion of spiritual intervention. Eying Adam again, he said, \u201cI suppose yer anxious to hear what we got to say.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWere you able to find anything to prove this one way or the other?\u201d<\/p>\n

All three sons looked up as Ben flew through the door at full speed. \u201cI was out in the back pen checking our new colt when I heard the horses and wondered if you two had gotten back,\u201d he said while leaning forward against the back of the settee to catch his breath. \u201cRan all the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can tell, Pa,\u201d Little Joe teased.<\/p>\n

Ben plopped down in the blue chair across from Adam. \u201cWell, tell us what you found!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m gonna let Hoss tell the story,\u201d Joe said as he draped his arm affectionately around his older brother. \u201cHe went after this like a coon dog on a scent, and wouldn\u2019t let anything stop him. You couldn\u2019t have had a better investigation if you\u2019d have hired a Pinkerton man to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI appreciate this, and I mean that sincerely, no matter what you have to tell me. I\u2019ll keep an open mind\u2026and closed mouth until the end.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben gave an impatient sigh as he eyed his middle son. It was all the incentive Hoss needed to get going. He sat up straighter and gave everyone a big smile. \u201cFirst thing we done was go back to that camp, and we couldn\u2019t find hide nor hair of a woman having been there, \u2018ceptin\u2019 that Bible\u2026jest like before.\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe was looking at Adam as he closed his eyes and clenched his jaw. The younger man pointed toward him and said, \u201cWait a second, older brother. You said you\u2019d listen all the way through without losing your temper, and just because we didn\u2019t find anything of hers<\/em> doesn\u2019t mean we didn\u2019t find anything of interest<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam released a sigh and grinned sheepishly. \u201cI\u2019m sorry; go on, please.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt took some sortin\u2019, but Joe and I looked at all the horse prints around that camp, and figured out which were ours and which were from the horse that had been put up in that pen. Hoss looked to Adam. \u201cYou told me that just the Shaman took Ruth away, and after we finished eliminatin\u2019 all the extra prints, we found just the two unshod sets that left that camp together from the shelter.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded. \u201cGo on, son; this is interesting.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam sort of walked me through the things he\u2019d done those couple of days, and we found everything just as he done remembered. His fishing pole was still layin\u2019 on the bank, and there was a lot of messed up grass and dirt near there where he tussled with them Shoshone braves. We even saw blood in the grass where he stabbed that one, and a new lookin\u2019 grave nearby. The best sign we found was a woman\u2019s-sized, bare footprints in the soft muddy edge of that lake. \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFinally, some real proof of her.\u201d Adam sighed and sunk down into the chair.<\/p>\n

Hoss ignored the comment and continued. \u201cNext we followed the horse tracks from the lakes to the spot where I think you last saw Ruth. I even found what looked like rub marks on the tree bark where you was probably tied up, and the marks yer boot left when they dragged you to a horse. Them same horse prints led back to the camp, and there were more marks from the toes of them boots leading into Ruth\u2019s camp from when they musta dropped you there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou two really did a thorough job. Thank you.\u201d Adam started to get up, hoping to go back to his room and think about what he\u2019d heard.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe ain\u2019t done yet,\u201d Hoss said, standing up as well. \u201cIf you\u2019re tired, we can finish later, but you need to hear it all.\u201d He waited until his brother was seated again. \u201cIt weren\u2019t easy, but we followed the tracks of the two who dropped you off, back to the Shoshone camp.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben jerked his head toward his sons on the couch. \u201cYou were careful, I hope.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were, Pa, but it didn\u2019t matter. There was no one there. It didn\u2019t look like they\u2019d been gone long though. After that, we went back to the road you was takin\u2019 to Nevada City, Adam, and found a tradin\u2019 post.<\/p>\n

Little Joe flashed a big smile. \u201cYou shoulda seen Hoss get information outta that store owner. He was a little shy on details at first, but he told us pretty much everything we needed to know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose if you want information about people or goings-on in an area, the trading post is the place to get it.\u201d Ben commented, as he looked admiringly at Hoss.<\/p>\n

Hoss began to give the details he\u2019d obtained after plying the clerk with a little cash. \u201cPete, the guy from the post, said a young blonde woman with an accent, came a couple times each year to trade pelts fer supplies. She always rode in sitting tall and proud on a white dappled horse pulling a travois with her fur, but never once told him her name. The thing he done noticed most was that even after a couple\u2019a years comin\u2019, she still seemed skittish around him, except when she bargained for them pelts. Then he said she\u2019d get a fire in her eye, and hold out fer a good price. Pete said he\u2019d tried enegagin\u2019 her in small talk, but she had no will for it, and she sometimes left while he was in the middle of tellin\u2019 her somethin\u2019.\u201d Hoss chewed on his bottom lip as he looked toward Adam. \u201cYou told me how Ruth had bad memories of them white men who killed the Bannock she\u2019d lived with, so, I\u2019m thinking that she wasn\u2019t being rude when she acted that way, just scared silly that no good could come from her association with the store owner.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded. \u201cYou\u2019re probably right. I think she helped me because I was in no shape to harm her.\u201d Adam lost himself in a brief remembrance of his relief in seeing her standing over him when she\u2019d come back to help. \u201cDid you learn anything else at the post?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPete heard from others that the girl was known as White Buffalo Woman, and was the only one them Shoshone allowed on the burial grounds. I asked Pete if he knew any of the Shoshone in the area, and he said that a good sized party had their summer grounds near that mountain. But he also told us that an old trapper had been in a day before us, sayin\u2019 he\u2019d seen the whole party ride by a week or so back with all their gear.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid he know why they left?\u201d Ben inquired,<\/p>\n

Little Joe spoke up to give Hoss a breather. \u201cHe didn\u2019t have a clue. As far as Pete was concerned, the Shoshone hadn\u2019t bothered anyone while they were there, but he still breathed easier knowing they\u2019d moved on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees. \u201cI don\u2019t suppose anyone saw Ruth with them.\u201d The silence from the two men occupying the settee answered his question. \u201cI guess that\u2019s it then. At least I know this really happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss looked over at Little Joe, who understood that the time had come to let his two older brothers alone. He walked to the door and looked back at his father. \u201cHow about you help me get our horses taken care of, and then you can show me that new arrival.\u201d He received a skeptical look from Ben, but after giving him an encouraging nod, his father sighed and joined him outside.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat was that about,\u201d Adam inquired after the other two had gone.<\/p>\n

\u201cI told Little Joe that I wanted to talk to you alone after we told everyone what we\u2019d found. What I got to say to you now is just between the two of us. You can decide how much to tell Pa, but it\u2019s somethin\u2019 you gotta hear from me first.\u201d He relocated closer to Adam, sitting on the table in front of his brother. \u201cI didn\u2019t say none a this to Little Joe either, because to him, the story is over. He thinks we proved what happened, and now you should be able to toss it aside and be happy again. That\u2019s Joe though. Truth is, you and me got some years on him, and a lot of life wearin\u2019 us down he hasn\u2019t known yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo what do you know that he doesn\u2019t?\u201d Adam grinned at his brother.<\/p>\n

\u201cI knew this here news we brought would make you feel worse, not better. Our story confirmed you was right about what happened, but it would also settle that you hadn\u2019t fought hard enough to save her. Ain\u2019t that about right?\u201d Adam shrugged. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to admit it. I saw yer face drop with gratitude and grief all balled up in one when we finished our tellin\u2019. What we done said so far was the \u2018what\u2019 of your time on that mountain. But I had time to puzzle out the \u2018why\u2019 of things on the trip home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow can you know why anything happened?\u201d the older brother snarled. \u201cYou weren\u2019t there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDidn\u2019t have to be there,\u201d he chuckled in response. \u201cI listened real good when you told me what went on. So the clues are pretty durn obvious if you want to see them. You ain\u2019t seeing right because you lost someone you thought you loved.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThought I loved?\u201d Adam replied angrily. \u201cOf course I loved her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhich one of her did you love?\u201d Hoss asked with a sly grin.<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s upper lip rose, and his eye twitched. \u201cHuh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHere\u2019s what I think.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not sure I care what you think,\u201d Adam spat sullenly.<\/p>\n

Hoss chuckled again. \u201cI know you better than you think I do, brother. If you really didn\u2019t care, you\u2019d a been outta this room already, even if you had to crawl. So close yer mouth and listen.\u201d He saw Adam\u2019s face settle into a begrudging smirk. \u201cThere were two different women with you on that mountain. The one you met first was White Buffalo Woman. She was sure of herself. You said her spine straightened and her shoulders squared for the fight when she talked to them braves, and even to that Chato feller. White Buffalo Woman was the woman Ruth became while livin\u2019 on that mountain, but she was already on her way to becoming that from her time with the Bannock. She learned how to take care of herself, and knew Indian ways and medicine. Most women would have failed out there alone, but she didn\u2019t cuz she was Bannock strong. The story Pete told about her shows that. She distrusted the white man because of what they did to \u2018her people,\u2019 and her. I recall you saying that she tossed a warning knife in yer direction when she found you looking through her things, and she kept her distance at first.\u201d<\/p>\n

He waited for Adam\u2019s nod to confirm what he\u2019d said with a grunt and a nod. \u201cBut you got curious about the woman you done read about in that Bible, and when you questioned her, you met Ruth Halverson. Ruth was shy, and holding a hurt and fear inside her so powerful that it made her live with the dead. Ruth Halverson came to trust you, Adam. You can be dad-burned convincing when you think you have the answers.\u201d He laughed as he looked toward the door. \u201cOur little brother can be convincin\u2019 too, but that usually just gets us both in trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss rose and paced in front of the fireplace before starting up again. \u201cPeople see that you\u2019re sincere as the day is long, and things always sound right\u2026and simple when you say them. I\u2019m sure Ruth got that feelin\u2019 too. Truth was, you saw a woman who needed to face her fear to come to life again, and she saw a kind man who wanted to know the woman she\u2019d buried.\u201d He breathed deeply. \u201cIf you\u2019d a had more time, it might\u2019 a worked, but time was what you didn\u2019t have, and it might not have worked out even then.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo you think Ruth didn\u2019t have enough time to love or trust me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m pretty danged sure she did both of them things, but when them Shoshone made her choose, she had to trust herself more\u2019n anybody, and I think she done figured out that she wasn\u2019t ready to be Ruth Halverson again just yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe only went with them because she wanted to save me!\u201d The anger flared again.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid she? I recall Pa sayin\u2019 at the time we found you that it appeared that if Ruth had been there, then she\u2019d gone willingly. He might a said that to ease yer mind, but I think he was right. There was no sign of a struggle in her camp, and she took everything she had, \u2018ceptin the Bible. She agreed to marry you as Ruth Halverson, but I think she gave the ring back, and went with the Shoshone as White Buffalo Woman\u2014the person she knew best.\u201d<\/p>\n

He gave Adam a few seconds to think about what he\u2019d said. \u201cThis here next thing I got to say is gonna be the hardest to hear cuz it might free ya free of the guilt that\u2019s been plaguin\u2019 you.\u201d Adam gave him a doubtful look, but sat back and steepled his fingers in front of his face. \u201cThere were only two sets of unshod prints in her camp, so that confirms that she must abeen there with just that older shaman. According to what you told me, her knife and yer guns was at that camp. She could have used that knife to kill Chato, or to at least get the upper hand and tie him up. Then she could a gone back to you with yer guns to give you two a fightin\u2019 chance to ride outta there to safety.<\/p>\n

Silence filled the room, demanding that Adam put the pieces together. He finally sighed, \u201cBut she didn\u2019t.\u201d He chewed his cheek as he thought about what Hoss had said. \u201cYou make a lot of sense, and I admit that I\u2019ve wondered about that too.\u201d He looked up and smiled sadly. \u201cThere\u2019s more to this for you than just looking at the clues. Why do you know what she was feeling and thinking?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2019Cuz she did what I woulda done. I know how hard her decision must\u2019a been. The only place in this world where I feel like I\u2019m<\/em> in charge of me is here on this ranch, just like Ruth musta felt her strength comin\u2019 through that place she had, and the lady she\u2019d become. Our steers don\u2019t care that I\u2019m not good lookin\u2019 and smooth with words, or that I don\u2019t know a lot about much that the world holds important. The ranch hands and you all listen to my ideas, and I stand as tall as my big frame can get when I make a difference here. But when I leave the ranch, especially when we get all gussied up for somethin\u2019 in town, or we go to Sacramento or San Francisco, I feel like I got my boots on the wrong feet, and my head on backwards. I can\u2019t keep straight what fork to use, I don\u2019t know how to chit-chat, and I don\u2019t understand the plays or that fancy music you want me to hear. I\u2019d be plumb scared thinkin\u2019 about going to them places, and plumb tuckered out from worryin\u2019 when I was done.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Hoss,\u201d Adam offered sincerely. \u201cYou know I never did that to make you feel bad, but you owe it to yourself to experience everything that\u2019s out there. Then you can decide what you like and don\u2019t like. That\u2019s all I wanted for Ruth too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve knowed you for my whole life, so I also knowed you wouldn\u2019t make fun\u2019a me, and you\u2019d answer my goofy questions without making me feel dumber than I already am. And if I\u2019d a said no, you wouldn\u2019t a forced me to do nothin\u2019. It don\u2019t scare me like it used to \u2018cuz I\u2019ve done it enough times to know it won\u2019t kill me. Fact is there\u2019s some of it I really do like.\u201d He grinned. \u201cBut Ruth Halverson didn\u2019t know them things. What I heard you say was that you thought<\/em> she was missing so much, but in bringin\u2019 her here\u2014even outta love\u2014you was gonna take her from where she felt safest, and make her live in yer world as someone she hadn\u2019t been comfortable being in a long time. Maybe that held more fear for her than going to help them Shoshone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought she would love me enough that the rest wouldn\u2019t be important,\u201d Adam remarked as he sighed.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, it was White Buffalo Woman who left that mountain, and it weren\u2019t just to save yer life. Whatever her reasons, she left Ruth Halverson behind in that Bible. Leavin\u2019 that ring was her message to you that she couldn\u2019t fulfill the words in them pages like she\u2019d hoped she could. Maybe it was that she was too scared to find out who Ruth Halverson was just yet; maybe it was \u2018cuz she thought she owed somethin\u2019 to the people she thought she belonged to\u2026but she left on her own, and I\u2019m bettin\u2019 she was sittin\u2019 tall on her horse, lookin\u2019 fierce\u2014not scared a\u2019tall.\u201d He reached out and patted Adam\u2019s knee. \u201cYa know though, I don\u2019t know that she\u2019d a been able to go with them if she hadn\u2019t a met you. You made her face them fears she had, and doin\u2019 it made her even stronger.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam leaned forward and grabbed Hoss\u2019s arm affectionately, and then sighed as he reached down and massaged the calf of his sore leg. \u201cThe one thing that bothers me the most is that the Shoshone may harm her if she can\u2019t be what they want her to be.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought about that too.\u201d Hoss grinned. \u201cAin\u2019t an Indian shaman thought of like a spirit healer, even though he\u2019s just a man? Ruth sure took good care\u2019a you, so I bet she\u2019ll figger somethin\u2019 out to fix them people up, or at least make them think they\u2019re better off with her there. After that she might convince them that the spirits are telling her to mosey along, and they\u2019d have to let her go.\u201d<\/p>\n

Silence lingered as the worry lines around Adam\u2019s eyes and mouth relaxed and the tightness in his jaw and shoulders eased for the first time since the day he\u2019d awakened at the camp and knew Ruth was gone. \u201cI believe you may be right about everything, Hoss. I don\u2019t know exactly how you do it, but you do seem to understand the ways of people.\u201d He watched his brother blush and moved on to his final question. \u201cDid you bring the Bible back with you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNah, we left it there where it belongs. I wrote yer name and how to find you in the cover, in case she goes back for it. I\u2019m bettin\u2019 you left enough of a seed planted in her that she\u2019ll want to know who Ruth Halverson is. Fer now, the Almighty has other plans for you two, but who knows that someday you\u2019ll meet again\u2026as friends.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam chuckled. \u201cI\u2019m thinking this \u2018healer-woman\u2019 fell in love with the wrong brother.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss laughed loudly. \u201cDon\u2019t they all! Seems to be our fate, don\u2019t it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Part II<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Book of Ruth<\/strong><\/p>\n

San Francisco \u2013 1872<\/strong><\/p>\n

Chapter 1<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cCan you believe our Adam is on this poster?\u201d Hoss remarked as he, Little Joe and Ben stood in the theater lobby, waiting to be seated for the performance. The playbill he was referencing was one advertising \u201cFour Gentlemen from Boston\u201d who were appearing that night with the San Francisco Symphonic Choir.<\/p>\n

Adam had joined a similar choir in Boston shortly after he\u2019d moved back East to marry Melinda, his college love. He\u2019d done well in the group, with his vocal solos being featured in several concerts. But the one opportunity Adam had enjoyed most was when he\u2019d been asked to join three other guitarists in accompanying the choir for a night of folk songs. One member of the quartet was a musician who had arranged a Baroque composition for four guitars, and they\u2019d played it that night. It had been received so well that from then on, choir patrons had demanded that the guitar quartet appear at every concert.<\/p>\n

Their repertoire had increased over the next couple of years, and their last performance in Boston had been attended by the director of the San Francisco choir. When he found out that the Gentlemen had done appearances at charitable events in Washington, New York and Baltimore, he\u2019d issued an invitation to the four of them to travel to Frisco to appear with his choir in a fund raiser.<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s decision to go was easy since it gave him an opportunity to visit the San Francisco and Sacramento offices of Wadsworth Engineering\u2014divisions of the group he now oversaw. Frank Wadsworth, the owner of the firm, had known Adam since the young Cartwright had been his son Frankie\u2019s roommate at Harvard. The Wadsworth family had pretty much adopted Adam during his school years, and renewed their commitment to him when he\u2019d returned to Boston about eight years back, and began his life as a married man. Frank had eagerly given Adam a job with his engineering company, and then had challenged him to become familiar with as many different project types as possible. He\u2019d even sent his young prot\u00e9g\u00e9 to England for two years to learn how to engineer inland harboring. When Adam had returned to the states, Frank had turned over the Eastern operation of the business to Adam. Frank wasn\u2019t an engineer, and had realized that Wadsworth Engineering would grow even more with a young expert like Adam in charge. His plan had always been to revitalize the aging family business. He\u2019d done that by hiring on the brightest men he could find, and Adam was the brightest of the bunch. With the young Cartwright taking over, Frank and his wife, Marian, were free to tackle new projects and travel more, and that suited them just fine.<\/p>\n

Frankie, the actual Wadsworth heir, was in charge of Wadsworth Engineering in the West, and had no desire to return home to run his father\u2019s business there, so he had no objections to sharing the managerial duties with Adam. In fact he liked having his old friend and business partner come out whenever they were bidding water projects because Adam was the undisputed engineering expert in the field of harbor construction throughout the United States.<\/p>\n

The other three members of the guitar quartet had been able to arrange additional opportunities of their own in San Francisco, and had decided they could make the trip as well. They\u2019d all headed west on the Wadsworth train car\u2014a luxuriously remodeled unit with a sitting and sleeping area, as well as furniture that could be converted into additional beds. A railroad system crossed the United States now, but track widths still differed in some parts of the country, so the car had been fitted with adjustable wheels, making it work anywhere between the east and west coasts.<\/p>\n

Once the concert date and arrangements had been settled, Adam had wired his family, asking them to join him in Frisco for a reunion. The Nevada Cartwrights had managed to absent themselves from the ranch for a bit, and they\u2019d spent their first day catching up while touring engineering projects with Adam to make the best use of their time together. The other \u201cGentlemen,\u201d and Frankie Wadsworth had joined them for dinner at a restaurant that evening\u2014one that served Ponderosa beef. They\u2019d all been treated like kings, and Hoss had enjoyed the never-empty platters of steak lavished on their table.<\/p>\n

Plans for tonight were simpler, with a quiet family dinner following the concert, and a large consumption of strong libation to follow while attending a show at the hotel\u2019s salon.<\/p>\n

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

Hoss\u2019s head snapped up when the gas lights in the theater brightened as the choir\u2019s part of the concert ended, and the curtains closed.<\/p>\n

Little Joe turned to his brother with a scathing glare. Ya know, if you\u2019d snored any louder through that, I was gonna toss you right over this railing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben added his own reprimand. \u201cIf you hadn\u2019t been sitting far enough toward the back of this box that the audience below couldn\u2019t see you, I\u2019d have helped your brother do what he said. Do you suppose you could try to stay awake for the next part when Adam\u2019s on stage?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, Pa,\u201d the big man said sheepishly, while unable to stifle a loud yawn. \u201cWhat with all that walkin\u2019 around today and the glass of sherry we had before comin\u2019 up here, I was plumb tuckered out. Besides you know I don\u2019t like that fancy singin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI do know that, son, but Little Joe isn\u2019t fond of it either, and he managed to at least act interested.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe chuckled. \u201cThe only reason I didn\u2019t doze off was because I could hear Hoss breathing so heavily that I was gritting my teeth the whole time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou two are hopeless. I suppose you\u2019ll both like the singing at the revue we\u2019re going to later. The voices won\u2019t be as good, but the pretty girls doing the singing will keep you awake.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAin\u2019t that the truth.\u201d Hoss laughed, but added more seriously, \u201cI\u2019m lookin\u2019 forward to Adam comin\u2019 on. From what he said they was gonna do, I won\u2019t have any problem stayin\u2019 awake for it.\u201d He grinned at his father and brother. \u201cEven if he ain\u2019t so purdy as them girls we\u2019re gonna see later.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

The Cartwrights returned to their box seats after going for a quick breath of air and then mingling in the lounge while sipping coffee instead of brandy to keep one of the three awake. In their absence, a small stage extension had been added into the orchestra pit, where four empty chairs were waiting. Adam had explained to his family that they needed to be out a little further to be heard better, especially when they followed a large choir with a lot of volume.<\/p>\n

The house quieted when Adam and three other men in tuxedos walked across the stage, took their seats and eased their guitars into position. After a few notes to ensure the four instruments were in tune, they began to play a powerful number with strong chords intermixed with difficult runs.<\/p>\n

Ben, Joe and Hoss leaned forward on the box rail to see better. Hoss\u2019s whispered, \u201cAin\u2019t that just somethin\u2019,\u201d at watching his brother\u2019s hand fly across the strings, was met with a stern look, and \u201cShush,\u201d from his father.<\/p>\n

The Four Gentlemen played on for another five minutes before they stopped and stood to bow, indicating the completion of their first set. Thunderous applause went on for over a minute, and only ended when Adam held up his hands and began to speak.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood evening,\u201d he began. \u201cThank you for that wonderful welcome! We have to stop and talk a little now since our fingers are cramping, and if we continued without a rest it would sound much like my two-year-old daughter plunking on the piano.\u201d<\/p>\n

After waiting for the laughter to subside, he continued. \u201cIt\u2019s our pleasure to be with you tonight; thank you for inviting us. The story of how we got started is in the program, but I\u2019ll take a few minutes to introduce everyone. I\u2019m Adam Cartwright. Some of you may know me, because I grew up on this side of the country and probably \u2018strongly encouraged\u2019 you to buy my family\u2019s beef or timber.\u201d He grinned as those in the audience who did know him, chuckled or called out a greeting. \u201cYou may even have wondered what became of me of me when my brother Joe took over the strong-armed negotiations. Tonight\u2019s a reunion for me since my father and brothers made the trip here from Virginia City.\u201d He pointed to the box where his family was seated and waited while the audience applauded\u2014some of the boisterous patrons adding their welcome to Ben and his sons.<\/p>\n

When the auditorium quieted, he continued on. \u201cI\u2019ve been elected spokesman for our group. They told me that I should handle it because I\u2019m more \u2018articulate\u2019 than they are, but I\u2019m assuming that just means they think I\u2019m long-winded, and they\u2019ll get a good rest while I ramble on.\u201d The other members of the Gentlemen nodded as the audience laughed again.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet me introduce the others.\u201d Turning to his right, Adam bowed slightly. \u201cThis is Carl Rosen. He\u2019s the only music scholar up here, and the genius behind what we play. You probably recognized some of the pieces in the medley we just performed. Carl flawlessly incorporated phrases from Bach, Corelli, Handel and Vivaldi into that piece. Baroque compositions translate well to guitar because they were scored using low, heavy chords to underlie the higher-pitched melody. We\u2019ll do another medley using modern classical composers such as Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven.\u201d<\/p>\n

Carl nudged Adam, and whispered to him, prompting Adam to smile and nod. \u201cHe wants me to tell you about our guitars. We\u2019re all using a classical style for this part of our program.\u201d At his nod, a young man handed up another guitar from the orchestra pit. \u201cHowever, later we\u2019ll switch to this kind: a folk guitar. Adam held them out at arm\u2019s length. \u201cThe classic style has a slightly different shaped body and a wider neck that gives a little more room between strings to finger individual notes. The folk guitar has an almost hourglass shape with a narrower neck to make it easier to play chords which may stretch over a large area.\u201d He passed the larger guitar back down to the pit and moved his hand along the lines of his classical instrument. \u201cA fine guitar of either kind will have a long neck, a well-proportioned curve to its body, and a beautiful voice.\u201d<\/p>\n

The man to his left laughed, and held his hand to the side of his mouth to issue an aside to the audience. \u201cHe talks about his guitar like that when he begins to miss his wife.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shook his head, rolled his eyes, sighed, and issued an aside of his own. \u201cSometimes I wonder why we call ourselves, Gentlemen<\/em>\u2026\u201d He cleared his throat, sent a warning look to the offending member, and then laughed again before continuing. \u201cI know you\u2019re anxious to hear more music, so let me finish the introductions. On my left is Merle Oxnard, a lawyer from Cambridge. Merle says he\u2019s the best defense attorney on the East Coast, but since none of us has had need of his legal prowess\u2026so far, we\u2019ll just have to indulge his claims. And finally, the man on the end is Mike Cummings. Mike\u2019s Chief of Staff at Massachusetts General. He\u2019s made this into a working trip by arranging to do rounds at some of this city\u2019s fine hospitals, so you may see him in a white coat tomorrow\u2014especially if you should injure yourself tumbling out of your chair as you sleep through the performance tonight\u2026as my brother is prone to do.\u201d He looked up toward his family\u2019s box with a big grin. \u201cCertainly his somnolence could have had nothing to do with the quality of the music presented by the fine San Francisco choir, but I won\u2019t make any guarantees that our offerings won\u2019t induce sleep, so, Pa, poke him if he dozes off again.\u201d All eyes in the auditorium looked toward the Cartwright box, where a blushing Hoss waved and laughed along with the audience.<\/p>\n

Adam finished his introduction. \u201cAs you might suspect, we are all busy men with families and careers, but we do this to raise money for good causes such as the Children\u2019s Academy of San Francisco, and for the love of music: not because we are skilled artists. So\u2026should you hear wrong notes, sense a little confusion up here or see pure panic in our faces, please bear with us because we always manage to get it back together for a rousing conclusion.\u201d He sat too, and glanced back up at his family. \u201cJust a word of warning,\u201d he said as he chuckled. \u201cMy brothers will jump the rail and remove anyone who feels the need to let their displeasure at our performance become vocal or physical.\u201d He saluted the other Cartwrights. \u201cWe\u2019ll do a few selections now from classical and Spanish composers before we stop for another break.\u201d<\/p>\n

The next sets were received as enthusiastically as the first had been, and when it came to a close, the four men removed their formal coats and donned vests and cowboy hats that were handed up to them from the orchestra pit, and exchanged their instruments for the guitars Adam had shown earlier. Once dressed, Adam explained. \u201cOur last offering tonight is a selection of folk music. Many of these ballads will be familiar, and since we were choir members before we became instrumentalists, we\u2019ll actually do some singin\u2019 along with our pickin\u2019. Feel free to join in if you know the words.\u201d<\/p>\n

The standing ovation they received prompted an encore, as they suspected would happen, and the Gentlemen performed their signature piece of Pachelbel\u2019s Canon in D, provoking another rousing ovation. After several bows the group finally left the stage, and the theater began to clear.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cNow why didn\u2019t they do that whole dadburned program tonight \u2018stead of having that stuffy choir sing first?\u201d Hoss said enthusiastically as he stood and stretched. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t a fallen asleep if they\u2019d<\/em> been playin\u2019. That sure was somethin\u2019!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think they have a big enough repertoire to do anything longer, son,\u201d Ben explained, putting his arm around the big man\u2019s shoulder as they exited the loge level and headed down the grand stairway. From what Adam was telling us yesterday, they first learned some of that Spanish music on the train ride across country. They\u2019re all important men in Boston, and while they love doing this, none of them can put their careers aside to do any more preparation than they do now. To make this trip more productive, Mike worked it out to meet with other doctors from this area. Merle was fortunate to time his trip with a law conference he could attend, and Carl is visiting with friends who came west from Harvard to teach at that new university. I think it\u2019s called, Berkeley.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI s\u2019pose that\u2019s true enough. It sure was good though.\u201d Hoss shook his head and grinned. \u201cI guess I never knew my older brother was so\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe had been listening to the conversation and offered, \u201cTalented?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess that\u2019s it. I knowed he was smart and all, but didn\u2019t have an inkling he could do all the things he did tonight\u2026talking in front a that big group a people, crackin\u2019 jokes and actin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYa gotta be kidding!\u201d Joe squealed as he stopped to face Hoss. \u201cAdam was always a performer. Remember that one day he came riding in while we were sweating and working our backsides off, and then told us that he\u2019d had it worse because he\u2019d been riding on that hot, dusty road with that terrible wind blowing in his face?\u201d<\/p>\n

A loud guffaw preceded Hoss\u2019s, \u201cI do remember that. And I also recall we didn\u2019t give him no standin\u2019 ovation that<\/em> day.\u201d<\/p>\n

The other concert goers had moved around them, leaving the Cartwrights alone on the steps. Joe began to giggle at his brother\u2019s recollection. \u201cYeah, but he did make a \u2018splash\u2019 at the Ponderosa, didn\u2019t he?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben shook his head and sighed, and then joined his sons in a good laugh. \u201cSeems to me Adam wasn\u2019t the only one in the horse trough that day.\u201d He motioned them off to the side of the stairway as the last of the balcony patrons straggled by. \u201cI don\u2019t think any of us encouraged Adam to show us these sorts of talents when he was home, and I don\u2019t want you to tease him about anything tonight. I know the man on stage isn\u2019t quite the person you knew, but it was always inside him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss gave a shy grimace. \u201cI think what you said is true, Pa. I remember how he played that Spanish guitar music the one time when that purdy girl was with us, and if I hadn\u2019t been after the same girl, I\u2019d a told him it sounded real nice. And I did hear him sing some of those songs like that choir done earlier, but only when he thought no one was listenin\u2019 so we couldn\u2019t give him any grief about it.\u201d He looked down at his feet and then back up at his family. \u201cDo ya think that might\u2019a made Adam leave home? I mean if we\u2019d encouraged him to do them songs for us, or at least not laughed or made him feel foolish the few times he did, maybe he wouldn\u2019t a gone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben rubbed his son\u2019s back. \u201cI don\u2019t think that was it. He just had to go where his heart led him, and that was back to Boston. He\u2019s done well there; he\u2019s happy, with a beautiful wife and family, and he\u2019s taken every opportunity he\u2019s had to find things of interest. It\u2019s just who he is. You two are doing great work on the Ponderosa, and knowing Adam, he\u2019s bound to amaze us with what other thing he\u2019ll accomplish as time goes on. In fact we were talking this morning while you two were still in bed, and he said he\u2019s receiving an honorary degree from Harvard for his work on harbor engineering, and they\u2019ve asked him to teach a class each semester on that topic.\u201d<\/p>\n

The three made their way to the main auditorium, as Hoss remarked to himself, \u201cAin\u2019t that just somethin\u2019; my brother the professor.\u201d They\u2019d planned to meet Adam and head out to dinner, but there was such a large crowd waiting to get backstage to meet the Boston performers that Hoss suggested he stay and bring Adam with him while Little Joe and their father went on ahead to hold their table. He flopped down in a front-row seat figuring he\u2019d wait a bit before looking for his brother. One woman caught his attention as she forcefully elbowed her way through the group, giving her apologies to those she pushed aside. She was alone and not dressed as lavishly as the other women around her, but her bearing made her stand out among them. Her blonde hair was piled atop her head with a long single tail trailing mid-back. She had a full figure\u2014not exactly heavy\u2014but abundant, and her voice had a mellow tone with a trace of an accent. He thought she was attractive and he smiled at her when she turned his way, but she seemed more interested in getting somewhere than in paying any mind to him.<\/p>\n

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

The blonde woman made her way to the rear of the stage, interested in only one of the men who\u2019d appeared in the program. Instead of waiting in the queue of well-wishers making their way through an informal receiving line, she skirted the edge of the crowd until she had an unobstructed view of Adam, and then caught her breath as he turned toward her. He didn\u2019t see her in the shadows, but her memories of the time she\u2019d spent with him rushed in to quicken her pulse and breath. She thought he\u2019d died because of his injury, but she had begun to wonder if she\u2019d been mistaken after she\u2019d seen an article in the Chronicle about tonight\u2019s performance. The picture accompanying the article had been grainy and blurred, but the name, Adam Cartwright, had caused a storm of confusion. Her curiosity had been strong enough to make her purchase a ticket for the gala. She knew it was her<\/em> Adam Cartwright as soon as he walked on stage. He was twelve years older, but he still had a devilish smile, and there was no mistaking his voice.<\/p>\n

Between the information in the program and Adam\u2019s banter between numbers, she\u2019d gotten an idea of what he\u2019d been doing since they\u2019d last seen each other. He said he lived in Boston, and made references to a wife and a child, although the comment from the other performer about Adam \u201cmissing\u201d his spouse, and the fact that only his father and brothers were in the audience, implied that his Boston family was not with him in California. This left her wondering what Mrs<\/em>. Cartwright was like, and she experienced a moment of deep melancholy as she considered her lost opportunity to have that role and title. It was hard, but she subdued her sense of loss, convincing herself that it wouldn\u2019t have worked between them, at least not then.<\/p>\n

Her impatience to have her reunion made her pace behind the backdrop until the crowd finally thinned and Adam went to pack up his guitars. She walked up silently behind him as he snapped the clips shut on the second case. \u201cThat was a lovely show, Mr. Car-tright. I had no idea you were brilliant\u2026and talented.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam froze, his mind combing through his memories, although he easily recognized the throaty voice and the pronunciation of his name. His only puzzlement was why this reunion would happen here or now, but then he realized that man had no control over such things. He closed his eyes for a moment, straightened his shoulders, and then smiled as he turned to face her. \u201cRuth.\u201d<\/p>\n

She had been 20 when he\u2019d met her, putting her in her early 30\u2019s now, and she looked her age in a good way. Her hair was still as golden, and her mouth was set in the wide smile he had come to love in the days he\u2019d been with her. Her face was rounder and she had curves where they hadn\u2019t existed before, yet she would have been stunning if not for the matronly, dark, Sunday-go-to-meeting style dress she was wearing. These initial impressions flashed through his mind in an instant, leaving a moment for self-appraisal as he wondered what judgments she was making about him. Did she think he looked old? And even more important, did she hold him responsible for having to go with the Shoshone. For someone who was not easily set off guard, he marveled at his nervousness.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt really is you,\u201d she whispered, as she touched his cheek and chuckled nervously. \u201cI thought you had died from your injuries back when we knew each other. But for some reason, I turned to the arts section of the paper the other day, and there was your name.\u201d The nervous laugh returned. \u201cI hope you are as happy to see me as I am to find that the Adam Car-tright in the article is you.\u201d<\/p>\n

He stepped forward and took her hands, noting the absence of a wedding ring. \u201cI\u2019m delighted. I have often thought of you, wondered where you had ended up, and prayed for your happiness.\u201d Looking down at her, her large blue eyes twinkling even in the dim light backstage, he was overcome with emotion, and pulled her close to kiss her. There was no passion in his kiss; it was a kiss of reunion\u2014of relief, release, and joy at realizing his worst fears hadn\u2019t come true. An ache throbbed beneath the scars in his right leg as those long-ago weeks of mental and physical pain crowded in for recognition. They stood embracing for a moment, and then he kissed her again: a quick peck this time, in celebration of old love and renewed friendships.<\/p>\n

Taking her hands again, he stepped back and gave her a broad smile. \u201cYou\u2019re more beautiful than ever.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHa!\u201d she returned his smile with a doubtful grin. \u201cYou must be overlooking the fact that I\u2019ve gained weight, and the years of being in the sun have aged my light complexion beyond my years.\u201d She chuckled as she watched his cheeks color, knowing she\u2019d caught him in a white lie. \u201cThe pounds I claim without shame. After so many years of living sparsely, I was overtaken by an insatiable appetite when I joined my own people again, and found so many new ways to prepare food that were filled with flavor\u2026and fat. And then there were the pastries. I hadn\u2019t tasted sugary things since my childhood, and became quite addicted to sweets. I\u2019ve learned to control those urges\u2026most of the time.\u201d<\/p>\n

A good-natured smile replaced his embarrassment. \u201cA gentleman, as my advertisement says that I am,\u201d he said, pointing toward the Four Gentlemen from Boston<\/em> poster tacked to the backstage wall, \u201cwouldn\u2019t notice any changes. I was serious when I told you that you are beautiful. You were too thin when I knew you before, so your new figure becomes you. And you were so young back then, that you were bound to look older now. I say that from my own chagrin in watching the years accumulating each time I look in a mirror.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will trust what you say, because I believe you are an honest man. Speaking honestly on my part, I would say that you are even more handsome now than I remembered.\u201d She leaned in to kiss his cheek, and then stepped away. \u201cYou spoke of a family. I would like to know about them, and what you\u2019ve been doing.\u201d<\/p>\n

He chuckled. \u201cOh, dear lady, if you\u2019re curious about my<\/em> life, you can imagine all the questions I have about what\u2019s gone on in yours.\u201d He looked around; his brows meeting as his face registered his confusion. \u201cI\u2019m supposed to go out with my family tonight, and I thought they were going to wait for me.\u201d After checking the large clock hanging offstage, he shook his head. \u201cI didn\u2019t realize how late it is. I didn\u2019t feel comfortable walking away from the crowd, but it did go on for quite some time. They must have gone on ahead.\u201d He\u2019d barely uttered his conclusion when an usher walked up to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re Mr. Cartwright, aren\u2019t you?\u201d Receiving Adam\u2019s nod, he continued. \u201cYour brother waited for you, but he had to leave, and asked that I give you the message to join your family at the restaurant.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess that explains it.\u201d He looked around to make sure the other Gentlemen had gotten off to their respective evening activities, and then stuck one guitar case under his arm, grabbed the other by its handle, and took Ruth\u2019s hand. \u201cIf you\u2019ll accompany me, we\u2019ll head over there so that you can meet them and we\u2019ll compare stories.\u201d<\/p>\n

She followed him down the steps into the auditorium, before pulling on his hand to stop him. \u201cActually, I have plans tonight too, Adam, and I can\u2019t cancel them.\u201d<\/p>\n

His cheeks brightened again. \u201cI\u2019m so sorry. I should have asked rather than assuming. Do you live in San Francisco now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI live in Napa, but I\u2019m here with my father on a business trip.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour father?\u201d Adam croaked as his eyes widened. \u201cI guess we have some catching up to do.\u201d He shook his head and grinned. \u201cI\u2019m here for a few more days, so can we plan a time? I really do want you to meet the rest of the Cartwrights, and now I really need to hear what went on after we\u2026\u201d he stopped as he realized he didn\u2019t know what to call what had happened.<\/p>\n

\u201cParted company?\u201d she supplied. \u201cHow about tomorrow for dinner? Where are you staying?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Hoss stormed into the restaurant, found the table where his father and Little Joe were sitting, and dropped onto his chair in sullen silence.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened?\u201d Little Joe inquired. \u201cYou were in a good mood when we left you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNothin\u2019,\u201d he growled as his family stared curiously. He glared back at them. \u201cAt least nothin\u2019 I wanna talk about right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben let the subject drop. \u201cWhere\u2019s Adam? I thought you were going to wait for him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was occupied<\/em>, so I left a message and skedaddled. He should be along shortly\u2026or as soon as he can pull himself away.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019s reply had seemed sarcastic, and even the tone of his voice was snarly, leaving Ben wondering what had gone on since they\u2019d left Hoss at the theater. Even though Hoss denied it, his fatherly intuition was telling him something had happened between his boys, and it made him uneasy. Their waiter broke into his thoughts as he delivered the wine they\u2019d ordered, and filled their glasses after Ben gave his approval. He left them alone after handing them menus and telling them of the specials.<\/p>\n

Adam arrived just as they\u2019d begun perusing the evening\u2019s selections. \u201cSorry it took so long,\u201d he said as he sat, and took a long sip from his wine glass. \u201cMmm, that\u2019s good. I needed that.\u201d He took another appreciative sip. \u201cI never expected so many people coming backstage.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss harrumphed, and lowered his menu enough to see his brother, saying snidely, \u201cYeah, it looked like you might a enjoyed one a them a lot more\u2019n the others.\u201d<\/p>\n

A tilt of his head and a questioning look accompanied Adam\u2019s, \u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour brother stayed at the theater while we came on ahead.\u201d Ben explained before Hoss could respond and raise any tension. \u201cI think he just got tired of waiting for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTweren\u2019t that at all, Pa,\u201d Hoss broke in. \u201cIt was just how our brother was greetin\u2019 one of them people in particular that got me thinkin\u2019 he ain\u2019t quite the gentleman he pretends to be.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam laid his menu on the table and stared his brother down, repeating his earlier question. \u201cWhat\u2019s eating you?\u201d<\/p>\n

No further information came from opposite side of the table, and Ben tried again to move the conversation to pleasant things. \u201cThe concert was wonderful, son\u2014a rousing success\u2014judging from the comments we heard afterwards.\u201d Little Joe added his praise of the show before Ben asked, \u201cDid anyone we know come by?\u201d<\/p>\n

A grin spread across the oldest son\u2019s face. \u201cAs a matter of fact, I did talk to several old friends and customers, and\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss cut him off with a deriding snort, as he tossed his menu onto the table. \u201cFrom where I stood, you was doin\u2019 a lot more\u2019n talking.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s enough, Hoss,\u201d Ben warned with a stern look.<\/p>\n

Leaning back in his chair, Adam crossed his arms over his chest in a defensive posture. \u201cPlease don\u2019t silence the man, Pa,\u201d he said with a drop of his own venom showing. I\u2019d like to hear what I did that has offended my younger brother enough to put him off his feed. I\u2019ve never seen him place his concerns before a good meal before.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe I ain\u2019t never felt this way before, big brother<\/em>. I guess findin\u2019 out that a man I\u2019ve always respected and looked up to, ain\u2019t quite the man I thought he was is enough to make me lose my appetite.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam had to admit that Hoss hadn\u2019t hit him that hard verbally or physically since the day the middle Cartwright had seen the kiss in Regan\u2019s garden. That night Hoss had shown his hurt over what he thought was his brother\u2019s betrayal with punches that had left Adam badly bruised and recuperating in the International House for a couple of days while he\u2019d let things simmer down at home. He shook his head to clear the old memory before responding, \u201cI don\u2019t know what you\u2019re talking about, Hoss, so you\u2019re gonna have to tell me what I\u2019ve done to make you so indignant.\u201d<\/p>\n

The big man breathed out, leaning forward to rest his arms on the table and scrubbed his face with his hands as the memory of what he\u2019d seen earlier tore at him again. He\u2019d waited until the crowd at the theater had cleared, and then made his way behind the curtains. He\u2019d heard voices, and had headed toward them, and had nearly blundered into an intimate moment of two people kissing. He\u2019d backed away as quietly as possible, but for some reason he\u2019d been unable to look away. The realization had hit that the woman being kissed was the blonde he\u2019d seen earlier, and the man she\u2019d been lip-to-lip with\u2026was his brother. It had left him feeling like a peeping Tom, but he\u2019d stayed in the shadows\u2026watching as they\u2019d stopped to embrace and then held hands and laughed. He\u2019d practically run through the theater to get away, and had stewed over the scene on the walk to the restaurant. His dismay bubbled over as he looked up and locked on Adam with an angry glare. \u201cYou know, I give my \u2018right leg\u2019 to have what you got in yer life. Melinda is as nice a person as I ever met, and she\u2019s beautiful and smart to boot. And them kids you got are the best, so I can\u2019t see why you\u2019d risk all that for a few kisses from some backstage hussy.\u201d He paled as he forwarded his conclusion to a higher sin. \u201cUnless this is more than that!\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben hissed, \u201cHoss!\u201d while little Joe grinned and said, \u201cAdam?\u201d<\/p>\n

An angry, cautionary glance from their father stopped all conversation for a moment. Turning to Hoss he said, \u201cI don\u2019t know what you saw or what conclusions you\u2019ve drawn, but this isn\u2019t the time or place to discuss it.\u201d He turned next toward his oldest son with a look of admonition. \u201cWhat I gather from your brother\u2019s outburst is that you have behaved questionably tonight. You\u2019re too old for me to scold, but I would counsel you to think long and hard about how much you have to lose and the amount of pain you can inflict with such actions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam observed the disappointment reflecting in his father\u2019s eye; the anger in Hoss\u2019s, and the astonished half-grin on Little Joe\u2019s face, and started to laugh. There\u2019d only been a few times in his life where is actions had flabbergasted his family, but this had to be one of the best. He could only imagine what Hoss had thought when he\u2019d blundered into that kiss with Ruth, but at least now he knew what was bothering him.<\/p>\n

Hoss slammed his hand on the table, forgetting his father\u2019s warning as he hissed, \u201cI don\u2019t rightly care what a mess you make of yer own life, but I gotta stand up fer Melinda and yer babies.\u201d He rose from his chair, and leaned forward on the table to make his point. \u201cAnd if you think it\u2019s funny, then I guess I\u2019m right about how much you done changed, and I can\u2019t spend a second more with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSit down!\u201d Adam demanded of his brother. \u201cNow that I know what bee\u2019s in your bonnet, I can explain.\u201d He waited for Hoss to resume his seat, noting the expectant looks that had fixed on the faces of the three others at the table, and started to chuckle again. Composing himself, he began. \u201cI suppose if you observed that kiss without knowing why it was happening, you would think it more than it was. And it\u2019s interesting that you condemned my actions by bringing up the fortune of being able to keep my leg some years ago. I suppose you think that I\u2019m throwing away the opportunity that miracle afforded me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s about right,\u201d Hoss conceded.<\/p>\n

\u201cI say it\u2019s interesting because that \u2018backstage hussy\u2019 you saw me kissing was Ruth Halverson.\u201d The jaws of his father and brothers dropped simultaneously. \u201cThe crowd had left and I was packing up when she came up behind me and started talking.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI saw her in that crowd, and even thought she seemed powerful determined to get somewhere,\u201d Hoss said as he nodded. \u201cYa didn\u2019t have no idea she was comin\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow could I? I didn\u2019t even know if she was alive. I admit that I kissed her, but it was given only in joy at finding her alive and doing well. I wish you\u2019d come over to meet her instead of running away.\u201d He grinned. \u201cBut I can imagine how it looked to you and I truly appreciate your loyalty to Melinda.\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe asked excitedly. \u201cWhere\u2019s she been and how\u2019d she get away from the Shoshone?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere wasn\u2019t time to talk, but we can get the whole story when we meet her tomorrow for dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you say, \u2018we\u2019, are you implying that we\u2019re invited,\u201d his father inquired.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbsolutely, Pa. You were all a part of what happened back then, so it\u2019ll be interesting to fill in all the missing pieces. I\u2019m sure she has as many questions as we do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 2<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cSo this is your stubborn father, and these two, your hard-headed brothers,\u201d Ruth teased after being introduced to Ben, Joe and Hoss. She laughed at their questioning expressions. \u201cAdam described you that way, but he meant it in the best of ways. He was trying to explain that I was missing so much by living alone, and said having a family gave him a sense of home no matter where he was.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry your father was unable to make it tonight. If I remember correctly, his name is Olaf?\u201d Adam inquired.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is. He\u2019s had a busy week, and his health is not good. Perhaps we will still have a chance to meet before we all leave.\u201d She focused on her hands. \u201cI imagine you\u2019d like to know how we found each other again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s smile was encouraging. \u201cWe would, but why don\u2019t you start at the point where you left with the Shoshone. I\u2019d like to hear this in order.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her left brow rose in thought as she looked around the table at the four Cartwrights. \u201cDo you all know what happened back then?\u201d<\/p>\n

Three heads nodded, as Adam explained. \u201cMy family came looking after my horse got home without me. I was in pretty bad shape when they found me, and we had to get going. I was\u2026um\u2026upset, and a little confused about what had happened, so Hoss and Joe went back to see if there were any clues to confirm my memories.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, that\u2019s interesting!\u201d She gave the two brother an admiring appraisal. \u201cDid you find what you were looking for?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything pointed toward it happening exactly as Adam said,\u201d Joe supplied.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe only thing we didn\u2019t find was you,\u201d Hoss added. \u201cThe trading post operator remembered you comin\u2019 in regularly, but he said the Shoshone had left their camp and no one knew where they\u2019d got to.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s right,\u201d she said as she tapped her cheek. \u201cWe left for the winter camp about a week after\u2026Adam\u2026\u201d She stopped for a moment as a sad looked washed across her face. Replacing that with a smile, she continued, \u201cIt sounds like you did a good job investigating.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey did,\u201d Adam confirmed, and then got the conversation back on track. \u201cYou said last night that you thought I\u2019d died. What made you think that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was out gathering fresh herbs to make teas for the sick in the Shoshone camp when I saw three men ride by, pulling a fourth. I recognized my travois, and could see that my dressing was still in place over your leg wound. But your face was covered, making me think your family had arrived too late to help.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben lent his insight. \u201cThe sunlight hurt Adam\u2019s eyes, so we did cover his face.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut what made you think I was sick enough to die?\u201d The look Ruth gave Adam was the same knowing one Paul Martin always used when he tried to explain how he knew things were going bad long before his patients did.<\/p>\n

\u201cI noticed that you grimaced when you moved your bad leg too quickly that last day we were together, and your eyes held that glassy look that heralds a rising fever. And by the time I saw you with Chato and his warriors, your cheeks were glowing, confirming that my earlier concerns were correct. It saddened me that I hadn\u2019t been able to tend your wound well enough to forestall an infection. I realized then that I should have pushed the arrow through instead of removing it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOur doctor had a similar thought, but I\u2019m sure you did what you thought was best at the time,\u201d Ben interjected. \u201cAdam said you seemed to know what you were doing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI stayed in the tent of a healer\u2019s family with the Bannock and I learned many of his ways.\u201d A wistful look passed over her features before she looked back to Adam. \u201cMy only thought and prayer when I left, was that you\u2019d be all right until your family found you.\u201d She smiled at the men around her. \u201cAnd before you ask; after Adam told me about how close you all were, I knew you would come.\u201d<\/p>\n

A low, throaty chuckle preceded her final thought. \u201cMy \u2018suspicions\u2019 about your death were confirmed about two years ago, when my stage made a long stop in Virginia City. I remembered that\u2019s where the Car-tright family lived, and asked a couple of older men who were sitting outside the Western Union office if they knew Adam. They said the Car-trights were an important family, but they had to think a little about you. Finally one of them said he\u2019d heard that the oldest boy had some kind of bad accident. The other added that you\u2019d been \u2018gone\u2019 a few years already.\u201d<\/p>\n

The entire family laughed as Hoss shed light on her story. \u201cYou must\u2019a been talking to Zeke and Fred. They\u2019s the town historians, if you don\u2019t mind your history a little mixed up.\u201d He looked over at his brother. \u201cI imagine they was talkin\u2019 about the time you fell off the ladder and hurt yerself bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded. \u201cI\u2019d agree with that. And I did leave for Boston about a year later. The funny thing is that they probably weren\u2019t sure whether I\u2019d left town or died. They just knew I wasn\u2019t around anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo what happened with them Shoshone, Ma\u2019am,\u201d Hoss asked. \u201cWe were all worried fer you, but felt we shouldn\u2019t follow them, since we didn\u2019t want to make things worse.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI left willingly with them, hoping I could offer some kind of help. I\u2019m glad that you decided against \u2018rescuing\u2019 me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you figure out what was wrong with the Shoshone?\u201d Little Joe posed the question.<\/p>\n

Ruth nodded. \u201cIt didn\u2019t take me long to suspect that the water supply was tainted. The women, children and elderly were sick; the braves who\u2019d been out hunting were not. They only became ill when the water they\u2019d brought back in their skins was gone, and they drank from the stream by camp. Whatever happened must have begun upstream and fouled things after the braves left. I had seen some of the same symptoms these people were experiencing back in Norway when I was a child, and a pond used by our village went bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben asked, \u201cWere you able to help?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe shaman had been using poultices and chants to ward off the evil spirits, but I decided to start boiling all the water that people drank. I remembered my mother boiling everything when we were sick. She said it was the only way to get them clean, so I thought it might be good to do the same with the water. \u00a0Then I gathered herbs and roots to make various teas to sooth their stomachs and ease the cramping. It didn\u2019t take long before the symptoms eased except in those who didn\u2019t follow the rule of only drinking water that White Buffalo Woman had prepared.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWas that enough to convince them folks that you were a spirit like they thought you was?\u201d Hoss asked as he pursed his lips.<\/p>\n

\u201cChato was leery at first. I think he thought I would pray to the spirits to ease the sickness, but I convinced him that the spirits had guided me in what to do. In fact I was able to make him understand that I wasn\u2019t exactly a spirit, but a woman with a connection to the spirit world, much as he was. I didn\u2019t think that was a lie, since I really did feel a higher power leading me in what to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI jest knew you would!\u201d Hoss turned to his older brother. \u201cI told ya, didn\u2019t I?\u201d<\/p>\n

To answer Ruth\u2019s questioning look, Adam explained, \u201cHoss had some very helpful insights after he went on his fact-finding expedition. He seemed to have a pretty good understanding of why you left and what you\u2019d be able to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

She nodded. \u201cThank you, Hoss. I\u2019m glad you were able to do that for your brother.\u201d Her look became reflective. \u201cI wish my father had known someone like you. He didn\u2019t fare as well.\u201d She sat up straighter after a moment, and smiled. \u201cAh, back to the story. When no one else became ill, and those who were ill got stronger, I told the shaman that we should return to the winter camp, and he agreed that there was bad medicine where we were.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you stay with the Shoshone after that? It would have seemed a good time to leave,\u201d Ben offered.<\/p>\n

\u201cI actually stayed about a year, teaching Chato what I knew about herbs. You see, I didn\u2019t learn everything about such things from the Bannock. My mother was known for her potions and cures too. Her elixirs contained different combinations of herbs, leaves, tree sap or needles, and roots. I was young when she died, but she left behind her recipes and I practiced making them when I was living alone.\u201d She laughed as she looked at Adam. \u201cAll those papers were in the box where you found the razor. I took them with me when I left with Chato.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam asked the next question. \u201cDid they object to your decision to leave?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI told them the spirits wanted me to go\u2014that there were others I needed to help. So one foggy morning, I \u2018disappeared.\u2019 They didn\u2019t follow, and I made my way out to a road and was picked up by a family named, Fleming, that was heading to land they\u2019d purchased south of San Francisco. I stayed with them for a while and helped them start their homestead. But they helped me far more than I did them. Agnes was a teacher, so she helped me improve my English and grammar, and complete the classwork I\u2019d missed after going to live with the Bannock. The Flemings were gentle and kind, and being around them and the people from that little town they were near, helped me learn to trust others again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt seems like it was the perfect situation,\u201d Adam offered, sincerely. \u201cI did notice that your English and syntax is so much improved, and I only hear your accent with certain words.\u201d She smiled shyly and thanked him before he asked, \u201cDid you reunite with your father while with the Flemings?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce I felt ready to face a little more of the world, I set out for San Francisco, where I enrolled in a teaching school. It didn\u2019t suit me, so I got a job in a store, and took lessons from a Chinese herbalist to learn more about plants and medicine. During that time I lived in a boarding house where I helped with the cooking and cleaning. One of the regular guests, a traveling salesman for mining equipment, said he\u2019d just come from the north, where he\u2019d met someone named, Olaf Halverson. He thought my smile was similar to that man\u2019s, and he wondered if we might be related. I began to wonder if I might have family here so I wrote to Olaf, explaining who I was and where I\u2019d come from, and asked if he might know anyone from there. He showed up on my porch a month later; he was my father.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben shook his head. \u201cThat\u2019s a remarkable story. What had happened to him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe set out to find parts for our wagon, but fell on an icy patch of rock, and was hurt badly. He was found by a trapper who set his broken leg and helped him recover, but by then the snow had blocked the way back to me. When Papa came looking in spring, I\u2019d already been rescued by the Bannock. He had no way of knowing that, and after searching for some time, he had to assume his delay in getting back had resulted in my death. He went on to California and ended up in Napa, working at the Silverado mine. He\u2019s done well for himself there, and after our reunion, I went to live with him. The only sad part to this story is that Papa carried such a heavy burden in thinking he\u2019d let me die that it affected his health. He tires easily and is often ill. But we do the best we can, and I am happy to have my own stubborn father back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss sighed as he shook his head. \u201cThat is one powerful story. I\u2019m sorry as all get out fer them comments I made last night.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her eyes widened and she again looked to Adam for an explanation.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe saw us backstage at the theater, and jumped to some erroneous conclusions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ruth\u2019s laugh was rich and deep. \u201cYou don\u2019t mean\u2026\u201d She saw Hoss\u2019s deepening blush. \u201cI can assure all of you that what Hoss saw was a happy reaction to re-finding someone we thought was forever lost to us, and nothing more.\u201d<\/p>\n

Seeing his middle son\u2019s discomfort, Ben motioned for the waiter. \u201cI think we\u2019ve kept him at bay long enough and should order now.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Ruth tucked her hand in the bend of Adam\u2019s arm as they walked out the hotel door. \u201cDid you have an arrangement with your family to give us a time alone? They disappeared quickly after dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI did mention that there were a few things I\u2019d like to say without an audience.\u201d He turned right, heading to a grassy area with park benches. The place was emptying with the coming darkness, making it a perfect place to talk privately. Adam sat on a bench under a gaslight, and angled himself to see her better, and said without preamble, \u201cI am so sorry that I couldn\u2019t keep the Shoshone from taking you.\u201d<\/p>\n

She took his hand. \u201cI said earlier that they didn\u2019t take me, and I meant that. It was the hardest decision I ever made, and yet it was the easiest. Those days we were together were wonderful. You were the first man I trusted since those men attacked my people, and those days were like a fairy tale where a handsome prince awakens a sleeping princess. But even if the Shoshone hadn\u2019t been a factor, things still had to change. You wanted me to come with you just as Ruth went with Naomi\u2014to trust your ways, your ideas, and become part of your family. I wanted to\u2026but I couldn\u2019t because I was still White Buffalo Woman\u2026then.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam chuckled, causing Ruth to look injured. \u201cI don\u2019t think I said anything funny. Why do you laugh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause Hoss had come to the same conclusion back then. He said I could be very convincing, but what I was really asking you to do was to give up a huge part of who you\u2019d become, and change overnight into someone you\u2019d only recently found again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is a smart man. \u00a0When Chato demanded that I use my powers to help his people, I realized that I had already made the promises of Ruth to the Bannock when they rescued me. I had to make their ways my ways, and their people became my people. I grew to love and respect them, and part of why I hid on that mountain was my shame at not being able to save them. \u00a0But Chato gave me a chance to save their Shoshone brothers. I always felt I\u2019d been spared in that massacre for a purpose, and then, I knew what it was.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss said something to that effect too.\u201d A moment of silence passed as he thanked God for the brother who had the wisdom to see the truth, and whose honesty had saved him from losing himself on the Mountain of the Dead just as surely as Ruth Halverson had.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid he say anything else?\u201d She prompted when he seemed lost in his thoughts.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe reminded me that I believe all things happen for a purpose, so I should stop blaming myself for something that would have happened whether I\u2019d been there or not. He thought my role in your life might have been to prepare you for what was coming\u2026to give you courage to live in the world again. Hoss wondered if facing your fears allowed you to make the your decision.\u201d He grinned while a mild blush colored his cheeks. \u201cAfter I thought things through, I even began to question how quickly I\u2019d fallen in love\u2026you know, as to whether it was a reaction to a time and place, and to a beautiful young woman who needed to feel the joy of life again. I don\u2019t mean to hurt you by admitting that. I just came to think that we had been placed in a situation that had pushed our emotions into a blaze without getting a solid kindling fire going first.\u201d<\/p>\n

This time she laughed. \u201cDid Hoss say that too?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSort of,\u201d he admitted with a grin. \u201cI supplied the analogy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s perfect. When I thought about you\u2026even suspecting you had died, I realized I knew nothing about you. You\u2019d mentioned something about being an engineer, but I didn\u2019t realize you\u2019d gone to a well-known college to become one until I read through the program last night. You told me you had a father and brothers, but never informed me that the Car-trights were a prominent, wealthy family. You talked of introducing me to art and music, but again, I didn\u2019t know until last night how versed you might be on those subjects.\u201d<\/p>\n

She blushed, her cheeks a golden pink in the flickering light of the street lamp. \u201cI hate to admit this, but try as might; I have not grown accustomed to the symphony or music like the choir performed last night. I\u2019ve been told I have no ear for it. I love literature and history, but some of it, like Shakespeare, is beyond my comprehension\u2014or more likely I don\u2019t care to put the time into comprehending it.\u201d She smiled as he cringed. \u201cFrom that look, I\u2019m assuming you find great pleasure in the classics. The simple truth is that I doubt I could have become your prot\u00e9g\u00e9, and I think we would have made an unhappy couple in time.\u201d<\/p>\n

He nodded. \u201cThat might be true. Yet, in spite of the circumstances, I felt so happy in that place with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI might be able to shed some light on that,\u201d she said as she pulled her hand away and began to pick at the lace neckline of her dress.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t understand.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou hit your head in the fall you took, and your leg wound was deep and sore, and while my teas and poultices helped some, I knew you were still in pain, so I added another herb to what I was giving you. It was one I\u2019d seen the Bannock men use when they gathered for spiritual rituals, and I thought it would help you forget how badly you hurt. I knew you\u2019d refuse my efforts if I asked first, so I just mixed a bit in with your food.\u201d Her cheeks were blazing red with her admission.<\/p>\n

He gaped at her before he started to laugh. \u201cYou drugged me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t enough to cause you to have visions, as the Bannocks used it,\u201d she assured. \u201cBut it was enough to make you feel, um, \u2018better\u2019\u2026maybe even to the point where you forgot how bad you really felt. I knew it was working when I came back with more branches for my hut, and found you standing on your good leg, happily fixing my roof.\u201d<\/p>\n

He eyed her curiously. \u201cDo you think this\u2026ah\u2026herb is what caused me to\u2026ah\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think it can make people do or feel things that aren\u2019t in their heart. You\u2026felt love for me because you are a good and compassionate man who knew I needed to free myself from the past. The herb may have made you more expressive or dramatic about your feelings.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnother mystery solved.\u201d He chuckled, and then rubbed his forehead as he put the 12-year-old episode in perspective. \u201cIt does seem that this is exactly how it was supposed to work out. Yet I will always remember you and your kindness in saving my life.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy<\/em> kindness?\u201d She smiled at him and touched his cheek. \u201cYou gave me my life back as surely as I saved yours. Your<\/em> kindness, acceptance\u2026and love made me realize that I was hiding from the living, by living with the dead. When I faced my fears about what had happened to me, I could finally see that those were only two men out of many, and there would be more people like you, than them. And then, once I finished my work as White Buffalo Woman, I found Ruth Halverson again. That led me to find my father. None of that would have happened if you hadn\u2019t taken an arrow in your leg and tumbled off a rock.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you.\u201d He leaned forward, massaging his leg, and then chuckled as he turned to her. \u201cI\u2019m reminded of that arrow and fall quite often. It\u2019s nice to know they produced something good.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her look became mischievous as she poked his arm. \u201cNow that we have talked about the serious matters\u2026I\u2019m wondering something.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWas my kiss last night better than the ones I gave you twelve years ago? You were the first man I\u2019d ever kissed, but I\u2019ve had \u2018some\u2019 practice since then.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam sighed as he looked upwards, asking of the heavens, \u201cIsn\u2019t that just like a woman? All the years, and all that\u2019s happened since, and her worry is how well she kissed.\u201d He stood and helped her up. \u201cWe should get you in a cab back to your father; it\u2019s getting late.\u201d Noting the disappointed look, he tipped her chin up and spoke softly, \u201cYour kisses were wonderful, Ruth.\u201d He winked then as he stepped away. \u201cThey might have been a little moist back then, but I can\u2019t say that detracted from their sweetness.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapter 3<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Boston Gentlemen left San Francisco at separate times, so Adam had his railcar all to himself as he set out for home. The train was only a few hours into the cross-country trip when he began to miss his father and brothers, and he spent some time remembering the things they\u2019d done and the conversations they\u2019d had in San Francisco. On the other hand, he missed Melinda, and his children, AJ, and Elizabeth, in a soul deep way, and he couldn\u2019t wait to be home. The three weeks away from them had been harder than he\u2019d imagined they\u2019d be, and he was already picturing what he\u2019d do when he walked into his house. He\u2019d kiss Melinda with enough dash to knock her stockings off, and give each child a bear hug before tossing them up in the air to hear their delighted shrieks of, \u201cDo it again, Daddy!\u201d<\/p>\n

There was another memory that came calling when he tried to rest his mind from the math he was doing on the specs for Frankie\u2019s engineering projects, and that was the time he\u2019d spent with Ruth. He shook his head and smiled as he thought again how accurate Hoss had been twelve years ago.<\/p>\n

Spending a few hours with Ruth had left him reflective, but not regretful. It seemed that both their lives had unfolded as they\u2019d been meant to. When she\u2019d asked about his wife and family, he\u2019d watched her face for \u201ctells\u201d as he\u2019d told her about Melinda and his children, and his life in Boston, expecting he might witness some ambivalence about what he\u2019d said. There had been none, so when she\u2019d stated that she was happy for him, he\u2019d known her sentiments had been genuine. She\u2019d told him that she still held out hopes of marriage, but her concern for her father\u2019s health took most of her time. Her conclusion had been that Olaf\u2019s days were limited, and Adam had to admit that the man had looked frail beyond his years when he\u2019d met him. One thing she\u2019d revealed that night they\u2019d talked, had both surprised and pleased him; she\u2019d written a book about her time with the Bannock and Shoshone.<\/p>\n

Ruth had brought Olaf along to the train station for a brief get-together the day he\u2019d left for Boston. After a bit of conversation, her father had taken him aside to thank him for influencing his daughter to move on with her life. He\u2019d said that he would have gone to his grave thinking he\u2019d failed her if Adam hadn\u2019t made her think about what she was missing. Olaf went on to say that Ruth had let him read her manuscript, and to him it seemed that Adam\u2019s appearance on the Mountain of the Dead was timed perfectly: a blessed providence. He\u2019d been sorry to hear that Adam had suffered so much because of the wounds he\u2019d received, but he\u2019d supposed it was all part of an unseen plan.<\/p>\n

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

The closer Adam got to Boston, the more excited he became, and he nearly kissed the pavement when he exited the train car for the last time. A Wadsworth coach was waiting at the station to take him home.<\/p>\n

The driver met him as he exited the platform, taking his luggage while offering a wide smile. \u201cSo good to have you back, sir,\u201d he avowed. \u201cThings just ain\u2019t the same around here when you\u2019re gone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam offered his thanks, and settled in for the ride that seemed interminable, even though it lasted no more than 15 minutes.<\/p>\n

He looked around while his luggage was being removed from the vehicle, and saw saw two curly-haired children bouncing their way down the street. His heart sank, realizing that AJ and Elizabeth seemed to be on their way somewhere with their great grandfather Abel, and his wife, Sadie. At first he thought he should run to catch up to them, but then figured he\u2019d be better off going inside to get unpacked and catch up on the mail before they got back.<\/p>\n

The house was silent. It was Wednesday, their nanny\u2019s day off, and Melinda usually worked at home when Anna wasn\u2019t there. Since the children were with Sadie and Abel, he figured she had to go to the office instead. \u201cAnybody here?\u201d he called, feeling a surge of disappointment that his homecoming was so quiet. But he hadn\u2019t slept well, and he decided to make the most of his time alone by taking a quick nap before tackling any chores. He stowed his guitars in his small office off the parlor, and grabbed his traveling cases to begin the climb up the stairs to his room. He was so deep in thought that he jumped when he heard Melinda\u2019s voice drifting toward him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m in our bedroom, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you working up h\u2026\u201d He fell silent as he walked through their door, and stared hungrily at his wife. She was sitting at a small table arrayed with food, and seemed to be wearing only his old blue robe\u2014draped alluring from her bare shoulders and exposing her long, beautiful legs. Her hair was down and tousled, just the way he liked it.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou must be starving,\u201d she purred. \u201cYour office sent news that the train would arrive on time, so I arranged for a few of your favorite things to be ready when you got home. Sadie provided the lunch and took the children for the afternoon.\u201d She winked at him. \u201cShe thought we should have some time to ourselves, noting that I was getting pretty cranky with you being gone so long.\u201d<\/p>\n

He laughed while standing there grinning like a little boy in a toy store. \u201cI think I\u2019ve been a little cranky myself.\u201d He put his cases down, and crossed his arms, tapping his chin thoughtfully. \u201cNow comes the decision: which part of this homecoming shall I partake of first: the food\u2026or the entertainment?\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda stood and let the robe fall to the floor as she grabbed her petticoat from the end of the bed. Feigning an angry look and voice, she grumbled,\u201d If you wait too long to decide, my love, I shall get dressed and join the children at the puppet show.\u201d<\/p>\n

His eyes widened before giving her a leering head to toe inspection. \u201cYou\u2019re not going anywhere except between those sheets with me,\u201d he said as he shed his jacket and shirt on his way to the bed, and pulled her to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was hoping you\u2019d make the right choice,\u201d she whispered in his ear.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoney, I\u2019ve been dreaming about this since the train pulled out of San Francisco.\u201d<\/p>\n

She helped remove his remaining clothes and tugged him back with her as she fell to the bed. \u201cI have missed you so much.\u201d She growled before kissing him passionately, and then teased, \u201cAlthough I\u2019ve missed some parts of you more than others.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat parts might those be?\u201d he managed to ask between kisses.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour lips,\u201d she breathed as she kissed him again. \u201cYour hands\u2026\u201d She brought his fingers to her lips and then returned them to what they\u2019d been doing before she\u2019d interrupted them. Rolling him over, she straddled his legs and leaned forward to kiss his eyes and cheeks, saying, \u201cI missed these,\u201d before continuing soft kisses down the length of his body while murmuring, \u201cAnd I missed your furry chest, your firm, flat stomach\u2026and\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam gasped as his eyes flew open. He moaned, \u201cOh, yeah,\u201d and then let his wife have her way with him\u2026twice.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was extraordinary,\u201d he murmured into her hair, while holding her afterwards. \u201cI\u2019m so relaxed right now I don\u2019t think I could stand up if I had to. You are a most amazing woman.\u201d He snuggled her closer. \u201cDo we have time for a quick snooze?\u201d His question was drowned out by a growl from his empty stomach.<\/p>\n

\u201cSounds like you should eat something first.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reaching out, he slid the table containing their lunch closer to the bed and pushed up to a semi-sitting position as he set the plate of sandwiches on his stomach, and said, \u201cDig in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda sat up next to him and did as her husband suggested, and winked. \u201cI think I already did that, my love.\u201d After taking a few bites, she looked at him with a devilish grin. \u201cNow that you\u2019re so relaxed, you can tell me about kissing Ruth.\u201d<\/p>\n

He nearly choked as he swallowed. \u201cHow?\u201d \u00a0He figured it out and chuckled. \u201cHoss wrote you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI got two letters yesterday. One from you with news of the concert\u2019s success, and of meeting an \u2018old friend\u2019 you\u2019d tell me about when you got home, and the other from your brother saying how sorry he was for \u2018accusin\u2019 you of no good when he saw you kissin\u2019 that gal backstage.\u2019 He went on to say that it was Ruth, who was \u2018just an old friend of yourn,\u2019 and he was sure you\u2019d tell me all about it when you got back. He then asked me to make sure you didn\u2019t \u2018harbor no bad feelings towards him,\u2019 and would I please write him if you did so he could apologize again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s laugh echoed in the quiet room. \u201cThat brother-in-law of yours is mighty protective of you. I told him you already knew about Ruth, and I\u2019d surely tell you about this reunion, but apparently he wanted to make sure I did by seeding a letter with just enough information to make you wonder what went on.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI figured that out.\u201d She waited while he finished his lunch; snuggled under his arm and said, \u201cAll right, out with it. Tell me what happened in San Francisco.\u201d<\/p>\n

He made her wait for what she most wanted to hear by telling her about the concert and working with Frankie on the engineering projects first. When her playful twirling of his chest hair became more of an extraction of follicular roots, he knew she\u2019d had enough small talk and he turned to the topic of Ruth Halverson. \u201cI told you the story of meeting Ruth on my way to see the Fairbanks windmill when you asked about the scars on my leg. I didn\u2019t hold anything back from you then, so you know that I came to love her, and thought I wanted to marry her. You also know the aftermath\u2014the near amputation, the deep darkness I experienced, and Hoss going out to find the truth.\u201d She nodded, and he continued to tell of his reunion\u2014of how Ruth had thought he was dead, and then becoming curious after seeing his name in the paper. After completing the story of her coming backstage; meeting her for dinner and their conversation during the meal and afterwards; and the sendoff from Ruth and her father, he concluded, \u201cSo that\u2019s all there is to tell. It was a shock to see her again, but it put an end to a story I often wondered about.\u201d He didn\u2019t think he\u2019d said anything to make his wife worry, but when he looked at Melinda, he saw the question lingering in her eyes, and he knew the story wasn\u2019t quiet over. \u201cYou can ask,\u201d he said softly as he tipped her face up. \u201cI know it\u2019s bothering you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you know what\u2019s bothering me,\u201d she snapped, but then chuckled. \u201cI suppose you do. You always seem to know what\u2019s on my mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou want to know whether seeing Ruth again brought any doubts or regrets about how my life turned out.\u201d<\/p>\n

She closed her eyes and nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease remember that when I first met Ruth, you and I hadn\u2019t communicated for some time, and we wouldn\u2019t know for a couple more years that our estrangement was based on a series of errors.\u201d She nodded again. \u201cBut there\u2019s something even more important for you to know.\u201d He placed her hand on his chest. \u201cFeel how fast my heart is beating? It does that whenever I think of you or walk into the house and I see your smile as you come to kiss me. It happens when I watch you playing with our children, and begins as soon as I round the corner onto our street when I come home at night or return from a trip. And my heart nearly pounds out of my chest when we make love. We have never known a time together when we didn\u2019t raise the roof at least a few inches.\u201d He sat up straight and pulled her up next to him. \u201cI can\u2019t imagine my life with anyone else.\u201d<\/p>\n

He kissed her, before adding, \u201cAnd any lingering doubts about the \u2018what might have been\u2019 times in my life ended the day I saw you again in Sacramento. It became clear that all those years of \u2018romantic failures\u2019 were merely stops on a journey that kept me headed to where I was meant to be. It took a while, but I made it back to you, and I\u2019m the most fortunate man alive.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Adam and Melinda decided to skip the nap and go find their children instead. \u201cWhat are you looking for?\u201d she asked as he rummaged through his luggage while they finished dressing.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have some things for AJ and Liz, and I know they\u2019ll be looking for them when I see them.\u201d With a mighty pull, he yanked a brown packet from the bottom of the largest case. \u201cHere it is. I got some little dolls for our daughter, and a science kit with a magnifying glass and some recipes for experiments that our young professor can do.\u201d He saw his wife\u2019s doubtful look. \u201cI know it\u2019ll be messy, but I\u2019ll work with him and we\u2019ll have fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what do you have for me<\/em>?\u201d she asked with a twinkle in her eye. \u201cI would think a man accused of an indiscretion, even if it turned out that it was just a kiss between old friends, would be compelled to bring his wife some gift of atonement.\u201d<\/p>\n

He came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her, and opened his hand to reveal a velvet box. \u201cI did get you something, even though it was ordered before I left for California, and purchased before my \u2018indiscretion.\u2019 It\u2019s from the same jeweler who made your wedding ring.\u201d<\/p>\n

The hinges squeaked as she opened the lid. \u201cIt\u2019s beautiful!\u201d She smiled radiantly, as she traced the intertwining flowers suspended on a golden chain. \u201cIt\u2019s so unique, and knowing you, it must have more significance than being a simple necklace.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know me too well, my dear. The stones making up the \u2018petals\u2019 of each flower are our children\u2019s birthstones. I just wanted to show you how much I love you, and your two \u2018gifts\u2019 to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda turned to face him, caressing his cheek with her free hand. \u201cIt\u2018s absolutely perfect. Help me put it on.\u201d<\/p>\n

After assisting with the clasp, he went back to his traveling case and pulled out a large, thick envelope. \u201cI got you something else you\u2019ll like.\u201d He opened the clasp and withdrew a sheaf of papers. \u201cOne of the things Ruth did in the years between our meetings was to finish writing a book about her life. She thinks the story is interesting, but she didn\u2019t know what to do with the finished manuscript. Her biggest concern was in finding someone to give her an honest appraisal, and then to help her improve it. She\u2019s afraid that the wrong person could turn it into cheap dime novel. I explained that you were a writer who had a lot of experience with editing, and that you\u2019d used the profits from your teachers\u2019 guides to buy a controlling share of the publishing company where you worked. It seemed the perfect solution to have you look at it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you sure about this?\u201d she asked warily. \u201cYou know that I\u2019m always honest, and I won\u2019t be \u2018easy\u2019 on her just because she\u2019s a friend of yours. She\u2019ll have to be prepared for all my thoughts about her presentation, whether good or bad, and then decide whether she\u2019ll put more work into it to make it saleable\u2026if that\u2019s what she wants to do with it. First time writers always think they\u2019ve penned the perfect book, and then are disheartened to hear how much work it really needs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam handed Melinda the manuscript, entitled, White Buffalo Woman<\/em>, and grinned. \u201cI think I probably used the exact words you just said, and she agreed that\u2019s what she needs, and she\u2019d be grateful for any suggestions.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou won\u2019t feel uneasy having me looking into an old love\u2019s story?\u201d<\/p>\n

He gave her a puzzled look. \u201cWhy would I?\u201d he asked even as a blush revealed the truth. \u201cAll right, I admit that I wanted to know what she wrote about me so I read it on the train. She doesn\u2019t use my name, and she presents our time together as a turning point in her life, rather than a love story.\u201d<\/p>\n

Melinda frowned, and then giggled wickedly. \u201cI\u2019m not sure if I\u2019m happy about that or not. I think I should have liked to read about your wooing of White Buffalo Woman.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure you would.\u201d He shook his head, giving her a look of censure, before laughing and pulling her close. \u201cHow could I fall in love with such a devious woman?\u201d<\/p>\n

She winked. \u201cThat\u2019s the thing about devious women. You didn\u2019t know about it until you were hooked, and then it\u2019s too late to turn back.\u201d She rose on her toes to kiss him before asking, \u201cSo once you knew there weren\u2019t any stories in there that I could hold over you, did you enjoy the book?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI did. It\u2019s got great details about Indian life and folklore, but her writing style is formal, and often choppy. She writes as she talks, and I suspect it will take some serious rewriting to get it flowing like a story should.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll read it, and let Ruth\u2026and you, know what I think. If there\u2019s promise, we\u2019ll figure out what to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Melinda. I knew you\u2019d want to help.\u201d<\/p>\n

Putting the envelope aside, she wrapped her husband in a tight hug. \u201cYou know me pretty well too,\u201d she whispered before giving him a kiss that nearly knocked his<\/em> socks off.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cDaddy!\u201d The scream came in unison as AJ and Elizabeth recognized the couple walking towards them in the park. Seconds later, Adam was holding a child in each arm receiving bilateral hugs and kisses, along with simultaneously tellings of their adventure. Five-year-old AJ was talking a mile a minute as he described the puppets, the storyline of the show they\u2019d just seen, and his feelings on the quality of the presentation.<\/p>\n

Elizabeth was a little over two now, and far more quiet than her brother had been at the same age. After a brief statement saying she\u2019d \u201cliked the poppets,\u201d she cupped her hands around Adam\u2019s ear and whispered, \u201cI missed you, Daddy,\u201d before putting her head on his shoulder and cuddling in.<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s attention went back and forth between the two, vowing, \u201cI missed you too, sweetie,\u201d to his daughter as he gave her a kiss on the forehead, and, \u201cThat\u2019s interesting, AJ,\u201d to his son. When the chatter ended, and both children settled into their favorite spots in their father\u2019s arms, he was finally able to greet Abel and Sadie. \u201cSo how much ransom do I owe you for the return of my kidnapped children?\u201d<\/p>\n

Abel nudged his grandson\u2019s elbow. \u201cAs always, dinner at the pub and few pints ought to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Once the homecoming gifts had been given to the excited youngsters, and they went off to play, the adults were finally able to sit together and talk. Sadie asked, \u201cHow was your trip, Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI got a lot of work done; the concert was a success; I spent some nice time with my father and brothers, and reconnected with an old friend. I guess that makes it pretty good.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI bet nothing beats coming back home to those two,\u201d Abel offered as he patted Adam\u2019s hand and pointed toward his children.<\/p>\n

The oldest Cartwright son nodded as he watched his daughter playing with her new dolls, while AJ inspected everything in sight with his magnifying glass. He turned toward those who made Boston home for him, and smiled broadly. \u201cI do miss those three in Nevada, but this is my life now. Having them out West, and all of you here means we are blessed from coast to coast. And that\u2019s the best any man could ask for.<\/p>\n

The End<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

*I found something interesting as I did some research for this story. I knew that Bonanza writers often used historical facts in their scripts, and I wondered about the Fairbanks windmill that Adam was on his way to see when he ventured onto the Mountain of the Dead.<\/p>\n

There was a man named Thaddeus Fairbanks, and he actually held patents for a number of things, including plows, furnaces, and a platform scale that was considered the industry standard for decades. Fairbanks employed a man named Morse in his Chicago office, and Morse bought a company in Beloit, Wisconsin (yay Wisconsin) owned by a man named Wheeler who\u2019d invented a pumping windmill.<\/p>\n

Later, Fairbanks merged with Morse to become Fairbanks Morse. So, what Adam probably went to see (although he was a little ahead of the Fairbanks Morse timeline) was the Wheeler windmill that Fairbanks owned. The Fairbanks Morse company still operates three different divisions. The one fact that gave me fun goose bumps was that the Fairbanks Morse water pump division was purchased by a company named, Pentair.\u00a0 My son heads a Pentair company here, although it\u2019s a water treatment division, not the water pump division. but he says the Pentair Fairbanks Morse pumps are still made in Delevan, WI, about 40 miles from here. It tickled me that I have a \u201creal\u201d connection back to this episode and a \u201cfictional\u201d Adam, and that\u2019s what makes researching a story such fun.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tags:\u00a0 Adam Cartwright,\u00a0Ruth Halversen<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

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

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

Summary: A story of Cartwright family love:\u00a0\u00a0 When Adam refuses to fight for his life\u2026or his limb\u2026after his Mountain of the Dead experience, (The Savage) Hoss and Joe return to the camp where they found him and figure out what really happened there. Hoss confirms that Ruth was real, but in following his Adam\u2019s journey, he also finds truths his older brother couldn’t see. Twelve years later, Adam is a happy husband and father\u00a0living in Boston at the time he travels to San Francisco where he meets his\u00a0father and brothers\u00a0there for a reunion. Another \u201cunexpected\u201d reunion sheds more light on the past.<\/p>\n

Rating: T \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Word Count: 22,384 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":82,"featured_media":5865,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9659","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-whn","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-13-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":1786,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Fevered-Dreams.jpg?fit=627%2C480&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":18230,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=18230","url_meta":{"origin":9659,"position":0},"title":"Gusty Gumption (by PSW)","author":"PSW","date":"August 19, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: A little vignette following (at some point later) the events of 'A Dime's Worth of Glory'. Written for the Sept 1 Pinecone challenge and expanded for inclusion here. Prompt: Whisky for my men, beer for my horses (by Scott Emerich\/Toby Keith).\u00a0 Contains phrases from both the song and the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Humor"","block_context":{"text":"Humor","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=4"},"img":{"alt_text":"newspaper","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/A8B95BC9-E53D-40E8-BD21-6DC03B08C9BF.jpeg?fit=1178%2C1034&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/A8B95BC9-E53D-40E8-BD21-6DC03B08C9BF.jpeg?fit=1178%2C1034&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/A8B95BC9-E53D-40E8-BD21-6DC03B08C9BF.jpeg?fit=1178%2C1034&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/A8B95BC9-E53D-40E8-BD21-6DC03B08C9BF.jpeg?fit=1178%2C1034&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/A8B95BC9-E53D-40E8-BD21-6DC03B08C9BF.jpeg?fit=1178%2C1034&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7580,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=7580","url_meta":{"origin":9659,"position":1},"title":"The Wheelchair (by DJK)","author":"DJK","date":"May 9, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0Years later Adam\u2019s wheelchair from \u201cThe Triangle\u201d comes out of the attic. Rated:\u00a0K+\u00a0 Word count:\u00a0667 The Wheelchair Series, links to stories within the series are included.","rel":"","context":"In "Adam Cartwright"","block_context":{"text":"Adam Cartwright","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=1005"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Bird.jpg?fit=323%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":9477,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=9477","url_meta":{"origin":9659,"position":2},"title":"He Would Have (by DJK)","author":"DJK","date":"July 27, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 A short WHN for Hoss's loss of\u00a0Margie.\u00a0\u00a0 Rating: K+\u00a0 Word Count: 694","rel":"","context":"In "Brothers"","block_context":{"text":"Brothers","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=1009"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/The-Tall-Stranger.jpg?fit=768%2C576&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/The-Tall-Stranger.jpg?fit=768%2C576&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/The-Tall-Stranger.jpg?fit=768%2C576&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/The-Tall-Stranger.jpg?fit=768%2C576&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":48039,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=48039","url_meta":{"origin":9659,"position":3},"title":"Fourth of July Fun (by AH83)","author":"BZTrailRiders","date":"July 4, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: Adam gets a Fourth of July surprise. 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