THE BRIBE

On a Mondayafternoon in november Adam Cartwright came home with his eight year old son Mitch whom he had picked up from school. At that moment stond Ben Cartwright was talking to a new ranchhand on the porch.

“Is that another new hand?”, Mitch asked amazed.

“Yes, why? Any objections to it?”, Adam asked on his turn.

“There are already so many. Jace, Mike, Jake, Lance and Griff. Let’s not forget Candy”, the boy explained.

“We always can use help at the yard and with the herd. Grandpa meeds him by a job in the stable I think”, Adam answered.

They dismounted from their horses but Mitch didn’t trust the new one.

“Adam, Mitch, this is the new hand Burt Taylor. Burt, these are my eldest son Adam and grandson Mitch”, the rancher said.

Adam gave Burt a hand but Mitch only nodded.

“He is a bit shy to strangers but when he gets to know you better he will come round in the end”, Adam said.

Burt looked at Mitch with a disdainful look in his eyes. ‘That lad is gonna make me immensly rich’, the hand thought.

By the presence of Burt the sphere at the ranch changed so the Lady Pleasure disappeared and Lady Pressure took her place. Especially Mitch had to suffer under it.

On a late FridayafternoonAdam looked around the living room which wat Ben and Mitch noticed at once.

“Adam, are you missing something?”, the rancher asked.

“I am looking for a little boy”, Adam answered.

“Then you first must find his toy”, Mitch reacted dry.

“Very funny kid”, Adam said sighing.

Ben looked at Adam questionable.

“There used to live a little and jolly boy. But I cannot find him since a couple of days anywhere”, the eldest Cartwright boy explained.

The rancher nodded.

“I miss that lad too. I wonder what has happened to him”, Ben said.

He and Adam looked at the same time at Mitch who became very red.

“Are you meaning me?”, the boy asked awkward.

Adam nodded smiling. Mitch got up and walked to the frontdoor. He opened it and went outside without closing the door.

“Mitch! Close the door or were you born in church?”, Ben asked strict.

But Mitch didn’t even listen. Adam ran after his son and grabbed him tight.

“Let me go”, the boy screamed loudly at once.

Adam let him loose being amazed whereafter Mtich ranaway. At the flowergarden he stopped. He fell down to the wall of the ranch house and sighted deeply.

‘Grandpa and daddy may never find out what that new hand is doing to me. Besides that, they would never believe me’, the young Cartwright thought.

He went to sit down and slowly he started to cry. Suddenly Mitch heard heavy footsteps. Quickly he dried his eyes and he looked at the visitor.

“So, here it is where you are hiding! Where is the money you owe me?”, asked Burt.

“Which money? I don’t know what you mean”, Mitch reacted.

“You know that damn well. You must pay me each day $ 25 or I will tell your family that you play hooky from school to play baseball and you will get your dog back”, Burt snapped.

“That is not true at all”, Mitch said fierce.

“You lie. I don’t understand that Mr Cartwright loves you very much while you do many bad things behind his back”, Burt said chuckling.

“That is not true. You do nothing at all”, Mitch said fierce.

“Now you will keep your mouth shut forever”, Burt said angry.

He beat up the young Cartwright and left him for dead in the flower garden. Laughing he walked to the stable. Adam saw him coming and thought that he was in a too jolly mood.

“Burt, what are yopu jolly today?”, Adam asked amazed.

“Is that a crime? What is the matter around here? Everybody is peevish”, was the answer of Burt.

“I was only wondering. Normally you are the one who is walking around with a face with thunder and lightning”, said Adam.

“Shut up Cartwright. By the way, you must raise your cild a bit better because he is blackmailing me. I must pay him each day $ 25 or he will tell my father that I do nothing”, said the hand.

Adam instantly understood everything and came into action. He grabbed Burt tight and pushed him to the wall of the stable. The hand breathed for air and looked at Adam with scary eyes.

“What have you done with my son?”, asked Adam.

“Nothing. I haven’t seen that lad the whole week”, Burt answered.

“Fibber! First you must pay him each day $ 25 betalen and then you say that you haven’t seen him all week. Where is Mitch?”, asked Adam.

“In the flowergarden”, Burt said directly.

Hoss and Little Joe happen to riding towards them and saw how their brother was treating Burt. They jumped from their horses and ran to the two.

“Hoss, you take this piece of scumn in hand because he has bribed Mitch and now done something to him”, Adam graoned.

“With the greatest pleasure”, Hoss said rubbing his hands.

“Come Joe”, said Adam said whereafter he gave Burt to Hoss.

Adam and Little Joe ran to the flowergarden where Mitch was lying unmoving.

“MITCH!”, Adam screamed.

He flew to his son, took him ninto his arms and started to cry softly. Little Joe went to sit next to his brother and oput a hand in his shoulder. Adam calmed down and looked at his son.

“We bring him to bed and I am gonna get the doctor”, said Little Joe.

They got up and they brought Mitch carefully inside. Ben looked up amazed when Adam and Little Joe came in with the unconcious Mitch.

“Burt has treated him. Hoss is now doing the same thing to him. Joe will get the doctor”, said Adam.

Little Joe went away while Adam brought Mitch to bed. Ben told it to Hop Sing who went with him upstairs as well.

Hoss had Burt so very tight that the hand hardly couldn’t get loose.

“I cannnot breathe”, Burt said coughing.

“That is your problem. How can you? Beating up little kids”, Hoss groaned.

“He blackmails me with money”, Burt yelled.

“Bullshit. You blackmail him”, Hoss groaned.

He started to get angrier and angrier. He couldn’t control himself anymore and gave Burt a real pack of beating.

Candy and Griff came home and saw the fight between Hoss and Burt.

“Hoss got in trouble with someody. Come on”, riep the foreman called.

They jumped from their horses and ran to Burt and Hoss. The hand saw the two friends coming and hoped for rescue.

“Help me to get away from this idiot”, burt screamed.

Hoss held Burt tight and wanted to give him a big punch when Candy coughed notable.

“Er Hoss, why are you using him as your punch-bag?”, the foreman asked.

“This flipped idiot is bribing our nephew and has beaten him up. Adam was already busy with it and ordered me to finish the job”, Hoss replied.

“Oh just continue with it”, Candy said winking at Hoss and Griff.

Hoss beat up Burt while Candy and Griff watched amused.

Adam sat by Mitch who had woken up in the meantime.

“Hi kid. How does this lad feel himself?”, asked Adam.

“Everything hurts”, Mitch answered slowly.

“I can imagine that very well because Burt has beaten you up very. Uncle Hoss is now doing it to him”, said Adam said smiling.

“He forces me to pay him $ 25 each day”, said Mitch.

“How long has this been going on?”, Ben asked shocked.

“Since he came to work here. He had made Cody disappear. If I would pay him I would get Cody back. But I haven’t paid him anything”, said Mitch.

“I am gonna ask him where the dog is”, said Adam.

He got up and ran outside. Ben went to sit on the bed and took the hand of his grandson.

“We are gonna take care of that cody comes back and you get well again. That hand is fired and disappears”, the rancher said.

“He also says that I play hooky from school to play baseball but that isn’t true”, Mitch said.

“We know that. Now you try to get some sleep”, Ben said.

He kissed his beloved grandson. Hop Sing took care of the wounds of the youngest Cartwright. Slowly the boy fell asleep.

Adam saw how his brother was beating up Burt and interfered.

“Wait a minute Hoss. I gotta ask that geezer something”, said Adam.

Hoss stopped. Adam looked questionable at the hand.

“Where is Cody?”, he asked Burt.

“Who is Cody? I don’t know that lad”, Burt said amazed.

The brothers, Candy and Griff were rolling on the ground laughing. This made Burt extra angry.

“Cody is no boy but our shepherd dog. Mitch said to me that you had made him disappear”, antwoordde Adam repied laughing.

“In my house. It is just a mean dog who bites at strangers”, Burt groaned.

“He isn’t that at all. He is so very nice, especially to kids”, Hoss said.

“We are gonna get him”, said Candy.

The foreman and Griff went away. Adam hit Burt so hard that the hand fell on the ground and blew out his last breath. The brothers looked at each other and knew that their father wouldn’t be pleased with the message that Burt was dead and especially not as it happened on his yard.

“We bttere tell him right away what has happened”, Adam suggested.

Hoss nodded. They walked to the ranch houdse to tell the news.

In the hallway the brothers saw their father coming. Adam felt his heart beating in his throat because he feared the worst.

Hoss was also worried about the health of Mitch.

“Pa, Mitch has not died, has he?”, Adam asked directly.

“No, he is asleep. Where is that Burt?”, the rancher asked.

“He lies on the yard near the stable”, Adam said.

Ben looked at his two eldest sons and didn’t trust it. He went outside and a moment later the mortail remains of Burt. Adam and Hoss followed him.

“Good riddence. He was no use anyway. Where are Candy and Griff?”, Ben wanted to know.

“They are going to get Cody. Burt held him inhis cabin. First he thought Cody was a boy”, Hoss replied.

“Bring his body away and tell the sheriff what has happened”, the rancher said.

Adam and Hoss did what their father wanted.

When sheriff Roy Coffee and deputy Clem Foster heard what had happened at the Ponderosa the authority knew enough.

“When will it become quiet at your ranch for once?”, Roy asked when the brothers had told everything.

“When Easter and Pentecost fall together on one day”, Adam reacted down to earth.

“So never”, said Clem.

Clem took the body down to the undertaker and Roy had to bring his widow up to dat concerning the news of his death. Adam and Hoss went back home.

“Mrs Taylor, I have bad news for you. Your husband Burt has been murdered at the Ponderosa”, said the sheriff.

“Who had murdered him?”, Regina wanted to know.

“Adam Cartwright. Burt had beaten up his little boy”, Roy answered.

Regina sniffed a few times and closed the door. Roy went away.

‘Adam Cartwright, now you have really signed your sentence of death. Your son will grow up now as an orphanboy’, the quite new widow thought.

A few days passed by since the beating up of Mitch. Adam remained day and night by his son and took care of him as good as possible. Hereby the youngest Cartwright recovred quite soon. That came also by the presence of Cody.

To revenge the death of her husband Regina took a resolute decision. She loaded the revolver of her late husband and rode to Virginia City. There she knocked at the door of the doctor

“Come to the Ponderosa in one hour and a half”, she said to Paul Martin.

Here after she left into the direction of the Ponderosa.

There was a knock on the door. Adam answered it. He saw Regina Taylor standing.

“You killed my husband and now I kill you”, she snapped.

A second later he fell on the ground after he was hit by a bullit un his thorn and a second bullit just missed his head. The others came nearer. Mitch saw his father lying unconcious and begon to cry very hard. Then Cody looked at the one who did it and ran away. His little master followed him directly.

“Joe, go after Mitch at once before more people get killed”, Ben ordered.

Little Joe left at once.

“I am gonna get Doc”, Candy called. He also disappeared.

“Griff, tell Joe and Candy that Adam has died”, the hand got to hear.

He also disappeared to Virginia City.

“Hoss, help me to bring your brother to his bed”, Ben said to the only remaining Cartwright.

They lifted up Adam and brought him to bed while Hop Sing followed with cloths to take care of Adam.

Candy ran into Paul Martin underway.

“Doc, Adam is badly injured. Mr Cartwright sent me to get your”, said the foreman.

“I was already warned by Mrs Taylor”, said Paul.

Now Candy didn’t understand a thing about it.

“Mitch is gone with Cody. You go to Adam, then I will look for them”, said the foreman.

Each went their own way.

Little Joe had gone after Mitch and ran into Candy an a certain moment.

“Have you seen Mitch already?”, asked Little Joe.

“No”, said the foreman.

Griff caught up with them and stopped his horse.

“Mr Cartwright said me te tell that Adam has just passed away”, he said.

Little Joe cursed out loud.

“Let’s look in Virginia City. Maybe Mitch and Cody are there”, Candy suggested.

The threesome rode to town.

At the Silver Dollar Saloon they saw the boy and dog sitting. Caramel was hitched in front of the saloon.

“There they are”, said Candy.

They rode towards them and Little Joe dismounted.

Little Joe hitched Cochise and went to sit next to his nephew.

“Daddy is dead hè?”, the boy asked with tears in his throat and eyes.

His youngest Uncle nodded.

“But you will remain wuith us at the ranch because that is what your father had wanted and arranged. Grandpa look after you from now on”, Little Joe said comforting.

Candy and Griff were also dismounted in the meantime and looked at the Cartwrights. The foreman had leashed Cody or otherwise the dog wasn’t allowed to get into the saloon.

“We are gonna drink something in the saloon”, said Candy.

Mitch and Little Joe got up and walked with the others into the saloon. Mitch, Candy, Griff and Cody went to sit at a table while Little Joe walked to the bar.

“Bruno, may I have three beer, one leomnade and a bowl of water?”, Little Joe asked the barkeeper.

“Joe, you know that in Virginia City children may not come in the saloons. And that also goes for Mitch. Even though he is a Cartwright”, Bruno said to Little Joe when he came with the order.

“Yes, but he is in the company of three adults. Besides that Adam has died this evening”, the young Cartwright said.

It was deadly quiet in the usual noisy saloon at once. Everybody looked at the Cartwrights. Bruno walked to the table where they sat.

“Mitch, hereby I give you on behalf of everyone our condolence. We have sympathy for you”, said the barkeeper.

Mitch only nodded.

They came home very late as even Hop Sing was sleeping. Silently everybody went to bed.

Because Adam had “passed away” Ben had to look after Mitch. At first this was no problem for the rancher but the ranch was also a lot of work plus the shooter was walking around free.

On the morning after the murder at his father Mitch said during breakfast,“I miss daddy so.”

“We miss him too. But for you is the loss of your father the worst”, said Ben.

“Is daddy now with grandpa, momma and Lisa?”, asked Mitch.

“Yes, they live in Heaven. When we die we go there too”, the rancher answered.

“Cody too?”, the boy wanted to know.

“Cody too”, said Ben.

Mitch began to cry. Ben pulled the boy near him and took him into his arms. Hoss, Little Joe and Candy watched but they didn’t know how they could and had to help Mitch.

Regina had no regrets that she had shot dead Adam Cartwright. He had taken away her marital status and made her a grieving widow. That Adam wouldn’t see his son growing up couldn’t care her less.

The news of the death of Adam was very soon well known in town. For safe keeping they kept Mitch at the ranch.

Abigail Jones ran into Ben in town. She stopped him.

“Mr Cartwright, I give my sympathy to you wi the loss of Adam. How does Mitch feel?”, asked the teacher.

“Circumstances concerned quite good. We are all there for him”, said Ben.

“Tell the boy that he won’t have to go to school until he is ready for it”, said Abigail.

“That won’t be until the new year I am afraid. Mitch misses Adam very much”, said the rancher.

“We all will miss him. When is the funeral actually?”, she asked dejected.

“Adam wanted to have a private funeral and that is what we have given him”, answered Ben.

On a nice afternoon in late Decmeber Ben and Mitch were in town stad. Despite the loss of his father the youngest Cartwright tried to keep up a good face. People were assuming that Adam had killed burt without any reason and therefor had gotten what he deserved when Regina had murdered the eldest Cartwright boy.

When Ben was talking to Clem Mitch got the female killer of his father is sight. He decided to deal with her for good. Although his grandpa had different thoughts about it. Mitch walked to the woman and coughed notable. Regina looked at the young Cartwright with a false laugh.

“You probably think that I am afraid of you. Which is not”, she laughed.

“I don’t either, dirty female killer”, reageerde Mitch reacted.

Everybody on the street heard it and looked at the boy. Vera Stone went to interfere with it.

“Because you happen to be a Cartwright you mustn’t think that you can and may say everything. This poor widow has just lost her dear loving husband due to your father”, said Vera.

“Because her husband was blackmailing me and let Cody disappear. Besides that he nearly beat me up to being nearly dead”, Mitch answered.

“Burt would never do that. He was very fond of children”, Regina snapped.

“The Cartwrights must, want and will always get their way. But not this time. Now go on home and leave this poor woman alone”, Vera said snappy.

Ben and Clem heard and saw the whole scène and decided to interfere.

“Vera, why are you actually interfering with business which aren’t yours? She has really killed Adam”, said Ben.

“I only stand up for Mrs Taylor. No one else does but I do. Take your cheecky grandson to the ranch and make sure that he never shows his face here”, Vera snapped at Ben.

Clem came near them and said, “Mitch has just as much right to be here as you do.”

Now Vera kept silent because she knew which function the deputy had in Virginia City. Suddenly Regina shot at Mitch but she missed. It was empty and dead quiet on the street. Everybody fled away. Ben and Mitch had found cover in an alley and Clem sat in an alley oppoite them. The Cartwrights held Regina in sight but Ben alos had to keep his eye on his grandson. He knew that Mitch sometimes did very dangerous things. Regina saw her enemies nowhere but they saw her. Suddenly Mitch saw his chance clean and he grabbed the oppertunity with both hands. Ben saw what Mitch was up to and tried to stop him but that failed. That’s why he followed him.

Mitch came out of the alley and called,“Mrs Taylor, look over here for a second.”

Regina looked and Ben shot her to the Eternal Huntingfields. Mitch dropped his revolver and started to cry again. This time it was because all emotions came free with him. Ben put his shooting equipment back in the holster. He walked to the boy and picked him and the revolver up. Hereafter he carried the young Cartwright into the sheriff’s office. There he let Mitch cry out. Clem checked if Regina was really dead and that was the case Hereafter he went into his office.

“She has murdered daddy”, said Mitch said crying in the sheriff’s office.

Ben looked at Clem but both men kept silent.

“I will put it down as selfdefense”, Clem finally said.

By this Mitch calmed down a bit.

“Must I got to an orphanage now daddy is dead too?”, the boy asked with tears in his eyes.

The rancher kneeled down near his grandson and said,

“Your father has arranged that when he would die that I would look after you. And that is what I have promised. I will keep my promise like always.”

Mitch nodded and made his eyes dry.

“Coffee?”, asked the deputy.

Ben nodded. Mitch sat quietly near him.

After the coffee the Cartwrights went to the ranch. Underway there was nothing said.

Arrived at home Ben stopped the carriage in front of the frontdoor. He got out and picked up a very exhausted Mitch out of it. Hereafter they went inside. To his big surprise Adam sat in his red chair.

“Mitch, look who is here?”, the rancher whispered his grandson in the ear.

Mitch lokked around him sleepy and was then wide awake.

“DADDY!”, he sacreamed excited.

Ben put him down. The boy ran to his father who received him laughing. Adam took him on his lap and kissed him.

“Everybody said that you were dead”, Mitch said amazed.

“I only had a grazing wound but to let Mrs Taylor think that she had killed me grandpa and I let everyone think it was so. After the treatment of Hop Sing I went to Carson City to recover”, Adam explained.

“Grandpa shot her dead after she tried to do that to me”, Mitch said.

“Tomorrow there will be an statement in the newspaper which explains everything”, Ben said.

He saw how deliriously happy his grandson was again and that did himself also much joy.

“Pa, I believe that our family is complete again”, Hoss said.

“I don’t believe that, Hoss. I know that for sure”, the rancher corrected his second son.

Now the Christmas vacation got for Mitch better than when it had started.

THE END

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