Suspicion

Written by:  Rona Y.


“No!” Joe shouted, in horrified disbelief as he spotted the bloodstained body crumpled on the floor. “No!”  Frozen in the doorway, he looked at the men who stood in the main room of the Ponderosa ranch house. His eyes widened as his gaze fixed on one of them. “You! Why?”

“Get him!” the man ordered, and Joe didn’t move as two men grabbed him and twisted his arms painfully up his back. Joe was numb with shock and horror. The man crossed to stand in front of Joe. “Now listen, kid, just keep your mouth shut, and nothing will happen to you.”

Disbelief was chased from Joe’s face by anger. He spat in the man’s face. It was utterly unpremeditated, and as much of a surprise to Joe as it was a shock to the man. He watched as the man wiped the spittle from his face with a bandanna. In a swift movement, he backhanded Joe across the mouth, hard. He turned away, anger in every line of his body.

“You won’t get away with this!” Joe shouted, rashly. “I swear I’ll make you pay!”

“Shut him up,” said the man, quietly, and a gun butt sledged down on Joe’s head. He slid to the floor unconscious.

                ************

Easing himself into a hot bath, Joe sank back with a sigh. All week, he had been working on breaking broncos, and he was finally finished. The army would come and get the horses at the start of the week, and Joe would be glad to see the back of them. At least for a while. He knew it wouldn’t be long before he was looking for a new challenge with horses. He was bone tired, and rested his head against the back of the tub. Ben had recently bought a new tub, and it was longer and deeper than the old one. With a luxuriant sigh, Joe stretched, feeling the warmth of the water easing away his aches and pains.

Gradually, Joe’s eyes closed, entirely of their own volition. The water was warm and deep, and Joe slid a little further down, until he was balanced precariously on the very edge of the tub. Only his head was above the water. Joe slid deeper into sleep.

A shout and a hard hand grasping his arm in a bruising grip roused him from his slumber. Disoriented, he gasped as a splash of water hit him in the face. Opening his eyes, he gaped in surprise at Hoss, who still held tightly to his arm. “What are you doing?” he spluttered.

“Savin’ you from drownin’ by the looks o’ it!” Hoss retorted, letting go as he saw Joe was wide-awake again. “Dadburnit, Joe, you was plumb near under the water! What was you thinkin’ of, goin’ to sleep in the tub?”

“I didn’t mean to!” Joe protested. “I just leaned back for a moment.” He shook his head. “I must’ve just dozed off.” He looked up at Hoss. “Thanks.”

“Come on, supper’s awaitin’,” Hoss said, handing Joe a towel. “I’m starvin’.”

“What’s new?” Joe commented, as he climbed out of the tub and wound the towel around his narrow hips. “Go on, I’ll be there in a minute.” He began to towel himself vigorously, humming under his breath. Hoss watched for a moment, shaking his head. He was more upset by Joe’s brush with death than Joe was. “I can manage,” Joe said, without turning round, and Hoss grinned and left.

Supper was indeed waiting, as Hoss had said, and Joe slid into his seat with an apologetic grin to his father. “Sorry,” he said. “I fell asleep.”

“So I heard,” Ben replied, not admitting that he had been concerned when he heard that. He wondered if Joe was overdoing things, or not eating enough, or coming down with something. Worrying about his trouble-prone youngest was a hard habit to break. However, as the meal progressed, and Joe’s natural high spirits were in evidence, he relaxed.

They settled in for a quiet evening in front of the fire. Joe and Hoss were soon playing checkers, with Joe cheating as usual, and Hoss losing, as usual. Adam was fathoms deep in a book, and Ben read the local paper. The knock on the door came as a surprise to them all. Everyone looked at the door, then looked at Joe. He looked round at the expectant faces, and grimaced. “I’ll get it, shall I?” he asked, and went to answer it.

A dark haired young man stood on the porch. He reminded Joe of someone, but he couldn’t think who. “I’m looking for Mr Adam Cartwright?” he said.

Glancing back over his shoulder, Joe saw that Adam was already on his feet, and with a shock realised that the young man on the doorstep looked a little like Adam. He had similar colouring and build. “I’m Adam Cartwright. What can I do for you?”

Smiling, the man held out his hand. “My name is David Hardy. I’m your cousin.”

                *********

Seated in front of the fire, David smiled at the Cartwrights. “My mother and yours were first cousins,” he said. “I believe they closely resembled each other, and I’ve often heard that I look like you, Adam. I suppose we do, a little. Mother died a few years ago, and father earlier this year. He left me some money, so I thought I’d have a look round this great country of ours, and visit a few relations before I settle down somewhere.”

“I’m sorry to hear about your parents,” Ben said, and Joe remembered that he had known them, a long time ago. “But we’re pleased that you came. You must stay for a while.”

“Thank you,” David said, and still that smile was in place. “I’d like that very much. I’d like to get to know you all.” He glanced at Hoss and Joe, to include them. Joe wasn’t overly impressed, but figured that David was meeting them all for the first time, and it was bound to be awkward. He made an effort to smile back. A yawn shook him, and he rose to his feet.

“I’m sorry, but I really must go to bed. I’m exhausted. Good night, everyone.” He smiled at them, reserving an especially warm smile for Ben. “Good night, Pa.”

“Night, son,” Ben replied, and watched Joe walk wearily upstairs. Once Joe was out of sight, he looked back at David and said, “I’ll show you to your room, David.”

“Thank you, Sir,” David replied. “It has been a long day.”

When Ben came back down stairs, he saw that Adam was waiting for him, as he expected. He sat down close by his eldest son, and waited to hear his thoughts. “Do you remember David?” Adam asked.

“No, I don’t,” Ben responded. “But I do remember Dorothy, your mother’s cousin. Her mother, your grandmother, and Dorothy’s mother were sisters, and your mother and Dorothy were very alike. David certainly resembles Dorothy, and you, a little. There’s a look of his father about him, too.” Ben frowned as he said it, and Adam was quick to pick it up.

“You didn’t like David’s father?”

“No, I wouldn’t say that,” Ben replied slowly. “No, it was more what David said about inheriting money. David’s father, Frank, was a fine fellow, but he spent money like water! He was always in debt. Oh, nothing too bad, but he lived from day to day, never planned for the future. I’m surprised that he had anything to leave, but people can change.” Ben shrugged. “So what do you think, son?”

“I don’t know, yet,” Adam replied, cautious as usual. “Its too soon to tell. He’s seems likeable enough.”

“Well, let’s get to bed and see what the morning brings,” suggested Ben, and father and son rose together.

                *************

There was no sign of David when the brothers left the house the next day. Ben had paperwork to do. Adam was going to town to collect supplies and return David’s hired horse. Hoss and Joe were going out to check on the grazing for the herd. So it was lunchtime before they saw David again.

Shortly after lunch, two cowboys drifted into the yard, and asked for work. They looked dirty and travel worn, and spoke roughly, but they appeared to know what they were talking about, and Ben hired them. They were shown to the bunkhouse, and told to clean up, and then go with Joe out to the herd, which was being rounded up prior to moving to new grazing.

It seemed to Joe that they took an inordinate amount of time to clean up, and he spent some of it chatting to David. Joe thought that David was a few years older than him, somewhere between Adam and Hoss in age, but David sidestepped any personal questions. Joe’s motivation had been honest curiosity, and he’d made no secret of the fact, but David made it quite clear that Joe was not his cousin, first, second or otherwise, and David had no interest in him. With a pleasant nod, he dismissed Joe and walked away, leaving the youngest Cartwright wrestling with amusement and annoyance.

So it didn’t help when he and the new men got out to the herd, and Joe said, “You men start with the main herd, until you get to know your way around a bit. Charlie is the foreman; he’s on that roan. He’ll keep you right. You take your orders from him, myself, my brothers or my Pa.”

“I ain’t takin’ no orders from a kid,” Dickinson said.

Giving the man a cool look, Joe saw immediately how things stood. These were drifters who had to challenge authority, and they had picked on Joe because he was the youngest, and younger than they were. “Well, your choice is do what I say, or get out.”

“Huh!” Dickinson grunted, and spat on the ground. He continued to look insolently at Joe, who was getting angrier by the minute.

“You heard your choice,” he said, holding tight to his temper. “Now get to work or leave!”

“Make me!” Dickinson said, and Joe saw red! He jumped down from Cochise and yanked Dickinson from his horse. The cowboy looked surprised, but quickly scrambled to his feet. Joe cast a swift glance at his friend Brown, and saw there would be no help or trouble from him. Not allowing Dickinson time to think, Joe threw the first punch.

It was a fight that Joe knew he had to win. He used his lighter weight and greater agility to try and tire the other man, but he still took a beating. Back and forth they fought, punching and counter punching, falling and getting up again. But eventually, Joe stood over Dickinson, and saw that the other man had had enough. It was none too soon, either, as Joe was all but spent. He bent over and yanked Dickinson to his feet. “Now you got a choice,” Joe grated. “Work as I said, or get out!”

Glaring at Joe, Dickinson mounted up and he and Brown rode over to the herd. Joe watched them go, knowing that it had had to be done, but also knowing that he’d made a bad enemy there. Wearily, he caught Cochise, and led him over to the river, and knelt by it to wash the blood off his face.

“Joe?” said a familiar voice from behind him. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine, Adam,” Joe said, rising stiffly to look at his brother. The cut over his left eye still bled sluggishly, and Joe wasn’t sure how good a job he had done of washing away the rest of the blood. His face was lumpy with bruising, and his left eye was rapidly swelling shut. “Just that new man, Dickinson, not able to take orders from a kid. Don’t worry, its sorted.”

Wordlessly, Adam swung down from Sport, and took the bandanna from Joe, and soaked it again. Joe took a step back, but Adam was having no nonsense. “You can’t go home with blood all over your face,” he said, matter-of-factly. “So stand still while I clean you up, then you can go off home.”

“I’m not going home,” Joe protested. “I’m fine, Adam, honestly. Besides, if the men see me going off home, they’ll never respect me!”

Admiring his handiwork, Adam made a face. “I guess that’ll do,” he said. “Well, its up to you, Joe. As you keep saying, you’re old enough to make your own decisions. But promise me one thing.”

“What’s that?” Joe asked, wishing Adam would leave him alone.

“If you feel any worse, go home?” He hooked Joe with his older brother look, and Joe reluctantly nodded.

“Yeah, okay. But I’m fine, really.” Joe took back the wet bandanna, and stuffed it into one of his saddlebags. He mounted Cochise with his neat sideways leap, and produced a smile. “See you at supper,” he grinned, and left.

Shaking his head, Adam remounted and rode off. He made a mental note to keep a closer eye than usual on the two new cowboys. Joe had had authority problems before, and a fight usually solved them. But this time, Adam wasn’t sure that it would work. He looked around for Hoss, spotted him, and went across to tell him about Joe’s little escapade.

                *************

Much to Adam’s mingled admiration and disgust, Joe stuck out the whole afternoon. Dickinson was sent back to the bunkhouse at one point, and Joe could have given in then and gone back, but he didn’t. Brown was still watching him, and he carried on as though nothing was wrong. But it cost him. By the time he, Adam and Hoss arrived back at the ranch, Joe could barely dismount.

Leaning heavily on Cochise, Joe waited for a moment to feel his strength return. He knew he had to tend to his horse, and do some chores, but the thought of taking off the heavy saddle, never mind swing an axe to chop wood, was almost too much for him. Straightening stiffly, he felt a hand on his arm, and looked round into Adam’s concerned face. “Go inside,” he said. “I’ll see to your pony. Hoss said he’d do your chores.”

“I’m fine, Adam,” Joe protested, but he knew he wasn’t up to doing them. He tried to make his point by walking into the barn, but he stumbled, and almost fell. Adam caught his arm, and gently disentangled Cochise’s rein from Joe’s hand.

“Go on,” he said, in that rough, brotherly way, which covered his feelings.

With a weary smile, Joe made his way across to the house, and let himself in quietly. Ben wasn’t in the big room, and Joe eased himself out of his jacket and holster, and put them down, quietly. He was half way to the stairs when he heard Ben’s voice behind him. “Joseph? What’s wrong?”

Turning, Joe gave his father a half smile, but he knew the effect was spoiled by the bruises and the black eye. “I just had a bit of a fight, Pa, but I’m fine.”

“Sit down, son,” Ben said, steering Joe towards the settee. He took Joe’s chin in his hand, gently turning his son’s head to see the extent of the injuries. “Would this have anything to do with our new hand?” he asked.

Sighing, Joe told the story. When he was finished, Ben went to get a wet cloth and some water, and gently bathed the scrapes again. While he was doing that, David came into the room. He gave Joe the once over, and smirked. “You lost then?” he asked.

At once, Joe’s temper flared. His fists clenched, and if it hadn’t been for Ben’s presence, Joe would almost certainly have punched David. As it was, Ben gave him a hard look, and Joe subsided. “I won,” he said, shortly.

“Yes, I saw the state Dickinson was in,” Ben said, and Joe, still watching David, saw an odd look cross his face. “He’s like you, stiff and sore, but he at least had the good sense to come back and rest up.” Ben prodded Joe’s ribs, and was rewarded with a sharp intake of breath.  “I don’t think there are any broken, but they need to be seen to. You go and get changed, and I’ll be up in a minute.”

“But, Pa,” Joe began, his gaze dragged away from David.

“I know,” Ben interrupted wryly. “You’re fine. Well, you’ll be even better when I’ve taped up those ribs of yours! Now, don’t argue with me young man! Surely you should know by now it’s a waste of time.” Ben helped Joe to his feet, and ruffled his curls. Joe grinned.

“One day, you’ll believe me,” he said. He walked stiffly to the stairs. Ben watched him until he was sure Joe was steady on his feet, then went to fetch the bandages. David followed him.

“I don’t mean to be nosy, Mr Cartwright, but what did Little Joe mean when he said that one day you’d believe him?”

Smiling, Ben said, “Well, David, Joe always tells you he’s fine, even when its patently obvious that he’d not. He hates doctors, and he hates being confined to bed. So when anything happens to him, he backs off from fussing.” Ben gave David a rueful look. “But a father can’t help worrying, and Joe gets into so many scrapes. Besides, he’s the youngest, and old habits die hard. I can’t help but fuss over any of the boys when they aren’t well. I suppose its because I’ve had to raise them myself, with no one to share the burdens and joys with. You’ll find out when you’re a father yourself.”

“I suppose,” David said, in tones of disbelief. Ben hid a smile, and busied himself with the bandages.

                **********

Supper was a talkative meal. David and Adam exchanged news of various relations, with Ben throwing in the odd question. Hoss listened while he ate, laughing at some of the tales that were told. Joe pushed the food around his plate, eating a little to please Ben, and smiling at the stories. He ached all over and felt he couldn’t go a single round with a kitten! His eagerness to prove his manhood left him facing several uncomfortable days. They gathered round the fire for coffee, but it wasn’t long before Joe began to nod, and excused himself from the company.

As he slowly undressed, Joe found himself wondering about David. He was charm personified to Ben and Adam, but had made it clear to Hoss and Joe that they weren’t worth considering. Hoss was so easy going that he hadn’t complained. But Joe knew that David considered him a nuisance. Adam and Ben were the ones who mattered here, not Adam’s brothers. Briefly, Joe wondered if he was jealous, but decided he wasn’t. He just didn’t like David, that was all. That odd look he’d surprised on his face before supper made Joe wonder what David was hiding.

Easing slowly into bed, Joe thought about Dickinson and Brown. He had an uneasy intuition that the trouble between him and them was not over. Dickinson would not forget being beaten in the fight, and if there was ever another fight, Joe had better watch out. Shivering slightly, Joe drew the covers up round his neck and tried to find a painless spot to lie on. There didn’t seem to be one, but after a while, he slept anyway.

                *************

“Wake up, Joe. Joe! Wake up!” The persistent voice wouldn’t go away, and Joe blearily opened his eyes, and saw Hoss looming over him. “Come on, Shortshanks, rise and shine. Sun’s up, and it’s a beautiful day.”

With a fearsome groan, Joe made the effort to sit up. He failed. “Go ‘way,” he muttered, and closed his eyes again. But the movement had awakened his aches and pains, and he knew that sleep wouldn’t come again easily.

“Come on, Joe,” Hoss urged, and for good measure, flipped Joe over to his back, quite forgetting Joe’s adventure the previous afternoon.

“Ow!” Joe yelped, clutching at his injured ribs. “Get off, you big lump! Leave me alone!” He gritted his teeth against the pain, and glared at his older brother balefully.

Instantly, remorse was written all over Hoss’ face. “I’m sorry, Shortshanks,” he said. “I plumb forgot you were all beat up like that.”

“Yeah, okay, fine, now go away and leave me alone,” Joe snapped, and eased himself back down onto the bed. He closed his eyes, and heard Hoss leave.

A few minutes later, Ben appeared, and by then, Joe was sitting on the edge of the bed. He lifted a rueful face to his father. “I didn’t mean to snap at Hoss,” he apologised.

“He didn’t mean to hurt you,” Ben replied. “So honours are about even. Joe, I think you should stay at home today, and take it easy. Give those bruises some time to heal. David is here, he’ll be company for you.”

“Sure,” Joe agreed, but his was an easy face to read.

“What?” Ben asked. “Have you and David fallen out?”

“No, Pa, honest. It’s just that he’s made it quite clear that he wants nothing to do with me. He’s not too keen on Hoss, either,” he added. “We’re just not important enough, or educated enough or something enough for him.”

“I see,” Ben said. “Well, still, I’m sure he’ll be glad of a little company today.”

            *********

Looking over at Ben, Hoss said, “Is he all right?”

“Of course he is, son,” Ben said, slapping Hoss on the shoulder. “Why don’t you go and give him a hand? Then you can both apologise to each other.” As Hoss went upstairs, Ben said, “I’m going to have a quick word with Charlie, Adam.”

Still seated at the breakfast table, David and Adam exchanged looks. “Can I ask you something?” David said.

“Sure,” Adam responded. “What it is?”

“Is your Pa always like this with you boys? I don’t remember my folks fussing over me this way. Look at the way he was with Joe last night. And this morning. Do he do the same to you?”

Smiling Adam said, “Only when he gets the chance. But yes, Pa is always like this. He worries about us. I guess I never gave it much thought. You say your folks weren’t like that?”

“No. Father was too busy working, and Mama was quite quiet and withdrawn. She was sick a lot when I was a child, and she seemed sad. I had the nanny to look after me, and I guess she fussed over me, but I don’t remember my parents doing it.” David looked sad for a moment. “I think Mama wanted a lot of children, but she didn’t have any more.”

Reading between the lines, Adam realised that David’s mother had been sick from having miscarriages, or stillbirths. He felt a surge of sympathy for his cousin. “Well,” he said, “stay here long enough, and Pa will start fussing over you, given half a chance.”

David looked so horrified at the notion, that Adam couldn’t help laughing. “Its not that bad,” he assured him. “You might even get to like it!”

                **********

It was a long day for both David and Joe. With Joe laid up, Ben spent a good part of the day out with the men. Joe struggled with the books for a while, but it wasn’t his favourite chore, and he was quite glad to do just the few things his father had asked him to. There after, Joe read a dime novel, and David wrote some letters. As the afternoon wore on, Joe offered to play checkers with David, who scornfully turned him down. “I’m sure I can find something to occupy myself with, Little Joe.”

“Fine,” Joe replied, shortly. “And its just Joe.”

“The rest of the family call you Little Joe,” David said. “I thought it would make me fit in better.”

“As you’ve been at pains to point out,” Joe shot back, “ you’re not my family.”

“I thank God for it every night,” David said. “You’re uncouth, and next door to illiterate. You’ve had no education to speak of, and you don’t aspire to be anything more than a glorified ranch hand. You’re right, I’m delighted that you aren’t my family.”

“Don’t hold back,” Joe said, dryly. “Tell me what you really feel. Let’s be honest here, David. I don’t like you any better than you like me. But this is my home, not yours. You’ve got your money, and you’ll move on to someplace else. So let’s agree to dislike one another, and we’ll get along fine.”

“Sure thing, little boy,” David said, scathingly. “And if I don’t agree, you’ll run to daddy and tell him that cousin David’s being nasty to you?”

For a moment, Joe was so furious, he couldn’t speak. When he regained the power of speech, he had his temper under as tight a rein as he could manage. “Let me give you some advice, cousin David,” he said. “Its better that people only think you’re an idiot, than you open your mouth and confirm it!”

With that parting shot, Joe went upstairs.

                *************

It was obvious to all the Cartwrights that Joe and David had not enjoyed each other’s company that day. Neither of them said anything, but the strain could be felt as they all sat down to supper. So it was no surprise next morning when Joe said he was fit enough to go back to work. Ben tried to persuade him otherwise, but Joe couldn’t bear the thought of one more day in David’s company.

Nevertheless, Joe was still feeling sore, and it took him a little longer than usual to tack Cochise. As he led the gelding towards the door to the yard, he heard David’s voice outside, and slowed slightly. “Well, any signs?”

“Nah, we’ve lost ‘em, Davie,” replied another voice, which seemed familiar. “We can stick it out here for a bit.”

“Remember what I said,” David went on. “Lay off the kid! The way they all dote on him, I don’t want them becoming suspicious and throwing you out.”

Thoroughly intrigued, Joe pushed open the barn door and stepped out. David was talking to Dickinson and Brown. “Well, well,” he said. “I hadn’t realised you were so concerned for my welfare, cousin.”

For a moment, David was non-plussed, then he summoned a laugh. “After the exhibition I saw yesterday, cousin, I thought it wouldn’t do any harm to have a chat with the new hands.”

“Really,” Joe replied, in tones of total disbelief. “Who have you lost, Dickinson? It wouldn’t be the law, would it?”

“What business is it of yours, kid?” snarled the man.

“If you’re wanted for something, it is our business,” Joe returned evenly. “And I suggest you mind your manners, mister. I don’t mind you calling me Joe, but you don’t call me kid!”

Intercepting a sharp look from David, Dickinson backed down. “I’m sorry,” he said, grudgingly. “I meant we’d lost some guys we was travelling with a few weeks back. They was trouble. I was just joking with Mr Hardy here.”

Nodding, Joe said nothing. He didn’t believe a single word they said, but he had no proof of anything else. He would have to wait until he next went to town, to see if he could find out anything about these guys. He exchanged a cold look with David. “Get to work, then,” he suggested. He waited for them to mount up and leave before he looked back at David. “It was interesting to see the kind of men who are good enough for you, David. Very interesting.” He nodded. “I won’t forget, you can be sure.”

For a moment, Joe thought David was going to lash out at him, but the moment passed. He told Joe to get lost in terms that Pa would not have approved of, had he heard.  Joe smiled cheerfully. “Yup, you surely have found your level,” he commented, as he mounted and rode away.

                    **************

Several days passed before Joe had any time to think about going into town. They were busy, moving the herd from one pasture to another, and finding the inevitable strays. Adam was spending quite a bit of time at the ranch, entertaining David, as well as keeping on top of the books. Joe took care never to be alone with either of the new hands, or with David.

So when Ben said they could go into town on Saturday afternoon, Joe surprised his brothers by not heading straight for the saloon. He refused to be drawn on where he was going, because he felt he couldn’t tell Adam he was going to ask the sheriff to look into the background of Adam’s cousin. His evasive answers provoked Adam and Hoss into a spate of teasing about the ‘new love’ in Joe’s life, and the swift flush of shame only lent credence to their idea.

The last person Roy Coffee expected to find in his jail that afternoon was Joe Cartwright. “What can I do of you, Joe? Seems to me you’re here a might early, ain’t ya? You can’t hardly have had time to break anything, or get into a fight.”

Smiling at Roy’s kidding, Joe said, “No, Roy, I don’t aim to spend any more time here than I need to. No, I wanted to ask if you’d do some checking on a couple of men for me.” He gave descriptions of Brown, Dickinson and David. “And I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t mention this to the rest of the family, Roy. You see, the last one I mentioned is Adam’s cousin.”

Putting down his pen, Roy gave Joe a long look. “So what’s it about, Little Joe? Why are you checking up on him?”

Making a frustrated gesture, Joe told the story of what he had overheard. “I’m hoping its nothing, Roy, but I’ve just got a feeling that there’s something going on there. David gave us the impression that he’s travelling alone, but he sure knew them better than you’d expect after just a couple of days.”

“All right, I’ll check on them and see what I can find. Are you going to be in town all evening?” At Joe’s confirming nod, Roy said, “I’ll let you know if I hear anything today.”

“Thanks, Roy,” Joe said, gratefully, and went to rejoin his brothers.

Entering the Bucket Of Blood, Joe saw that David, Dickinson and Brown had all appeared. He hesitated briefly, wondering if he should go to one of the other saloons, but Hoss saw him in the doorway, and hailed him. “Hey, little brother, come and join us!” Pulling a face, Joe went over and sat down.

“Less of the ‘little’, okay?” he said. “Or I’ll start calling you gigantic brother!”

Typically, Hoss laughed. “I’m a growin’ boy!” he declared. He slapped Joe heavily on the shoulder. Joe winced. “And you’re plumb puny!”

That set the tone for the rest of the day for Hoss. He was in an expansive mood, and became quite merry, for Hoss. Adam spoke to David, and Joe sat and looked gloomily into his beer. As the evening wore on, Joe noticed Dickinson and Brown talking to quite a few new cowboys. There were always new men in the area; cowboys were notorious drifters. But it seemed odd to Joe that all the new guys should suddenly be together all at the one time. Usually, new cowboys stuck with the few men they knew, and it took several weeks for them to build outside friendships. He was even more suspicious when he saw David exchange a smile with one of them.

                ***********

There had been no sign of Roy by the end of the evening, and when Joe saw him during the week, he had discovered nothing at all. “I’ll keep looking, Joe,” he said. “I’m waiting for a few replies to come back.” Joe had to be content with that.

Still, he was now beginning to suffer a bit of harassment from Dickinson. Once or twice, he had nearly ended up on the wrong side of a mini stampede. Once, he’d mounted Cochise, and discovered that his cinch had been loosened. One day, after digging a cow out of a mud hole, he found his canteen contaminated with earth. They were all petty things, and he couldn’t prove that Dickinson was behind any of them, but he felt the cowboy watching him all the time.

As was usual with Joe, when anything was bothering him, the whole world knew it. Both Ben and Adam asked him what was wrong, and he’d brushed them off with an unconvincing story of unrequited love, which they had accepted for his sake. When he was ready to talk, he would. Until then, they would just have to watch out for signs of what might be wrong.

On Friday, Adam and Hoss went to town to get the payroll. It was slightly larger than usual, as Ben was drawing extra money to go and buy some crossbred cattle that he wanted to try on their range. The money would be stored in the house safe until Saturday, when it would be distributed to the hands. It wasn’t often that Ben kept large sums of money in the house, and they were all slightly anxious about it. It was with great relief that Adam and Hoss got safely back to the ranch, and secured the money. Leaving Ben in the house with Hop Sing and David, they went back to the pasture to work.

Not long after their return, Cochise shed a shoe, and Joe had the unenviable task of walking back to the barn and finding a replacement mount. Hoss assured Joe he would re-shoe the pinto in the morning. Shoeing wasn’t one of Joe’s strong points!

Wearily, Joe put up his mount in the barn, and trudged across to the house. There were two horses hitched in the yard, and Joe frowned at them wonderingly for a moment, until he remembered that Brown and Dickinson had been sent back for more ropes. He shook his head at the length of time it was taking them to do a simple task, and opened the door of the house.

He was in no way prepared to see Ben’s bloodstained body lying on the floor. “No!” he said, hanging onto the door handle. “No!” Ben’s back was to Joe, and he couldn’t tell if he was still alive or not.  Frozen with horror and disbelief, Joe made no move to get away for help. His gaze fell on David, and he saw the gun in his hand. “You! Why?”

Moments later, Joe was in the grasp of Dickinson and Brown. They twisted his arms up behind his back, but Joe barely felt the pain. “Keep your mouth shut, kid, and nothing will happen to you,” David said. Joe spat in his face.

Wiping the spittle from his face with a bandanna, David tried to contain his fury. He backhanded Joe savagely across the mouth.

“You won’t get away with this!” Joe shouted, rashly. “I swear I’ll make you pay!”

“Shut him up,” David said, softly, and a gun butt sledged down on Joe’s unprotected head.

When Joe regained consciousness a short time later, he discovered that his hands were tied behind his back. He moved uneasily, and immediately attracted David’s attention. “Good, he’s awake. We can get out of here. Let’s go.” Joe was dragged to his feet, and he saw that Ben still lay, unmoving, on the floor. A pang of grief shot through his heart.

Outside, there were several more men on horses, and Joe realised that they were the cowboys that he had seen Dickinson and Brown talking to the previous weekend. “We’ve got the money,” David said, and Joe belatedly realised that he had stolen the wages, and buying money.

“You’re scum!” he said, without being aware that he’d spoken aloud. Dickinson punched him hard in the stomach.

“Get him on a horse,” David ordered.

“Why are we takin’ him?” Dickinson whined.

“Use your head,” David said. “He’ll keep the law away, and when we want rid of him, we’ll get a real good ransom for him. Now do as I say, and get him on a horse!”

Fighting every step of the way, Joe soon found himself beside Buck. He fought against being lifted onto the horse, until David appeared by his side. “Its simple, Little Joe,” he said, with deadly menace. “You either get on the horse and sit upright, or you get slung over his back on your belly. The choice is yours, and I don’t care which one you take!”

Reluctantly, Joe allowed himself to be helped onto Buck’s back. His pride wouldn’t allow him to do it without struggling a little, but he didn’t want to end up on his belly over the saddle. Being on Ben’s horse reminded him again of his father, and he looked back over his shoulder at the house, hoping against hope that Ben would appear. He didn’t. The group of riders moved out of the yard, and Joe blinked furiously to hide his tears from his captors. He needn’t have worried. Most of them simply ignored him.

They hadn’t gone very far when they heard horses approaching. It was no real surprise to Joe that it was Adam and Hoss. As they drew near, David pushed his way to Joe’s side, and put a gun against his head. He saw Adam and Hoss pull to a stop, their eyes fixed on Joe.

“What is this?” Adam demanded. “David?”

“If you want your brother here to keep on breathing, back off,” David warned. “We’ll let you know when you can have him back, and how much its gonna cost you!”

“They shot Pa,” Joe said, and his tone made both brothers flinch; it contained more despair than they had ever heard. Joe heard the desolation in his own voice, but he didn’t care. Ben was dead, and he was going to die too. “Get Roy,” he said, and that was the last thing he knew for a while, as David’s gun hammered down on his head again.

                *********

They had no choice but to back off and let the gang escape. Adam sat with his fists clenched as they watched them out of sight, noting the direction they took. “Let‘s get back to the house,” Adam said. “Joe was right. We need Roy. And we must see what’s happened to Pa.”

“You don’t think he’s really dead, do you?” Hoss quavered.

“I don’t know,” Adam said, bleakly. He touched his heels to Sport, and they galloped back to the house. Flinging themselves from their horses, they ran into the house. Ben still lay on the floor. Adam knelt by him, and belatedly realised that Ben was looking at him. “Pa?” he said.

“Adam, the money,” Ben gasped.

“We know about it,” Adam said. He put a gentle hand on Ben’s shoulder, forcing him to stay still. “Don’t move, Pa. Hoss, find Hop Sing and get the doctor!” With a look, Adam warned Hoss not to mention Joe. Rising, Adam took the Indian blanket from the banister, and tucked it round Ben. His father had been shot in the side, and there was blood everywhere.

It seemed to take Hoss an inordinate amount of time to fetch the doctor, but soon Paul was there, supervising as they moved Ben to his room, then operating to remove the bullet. He joined Adam, Hoss and Hop Sing downstairs afterwards. The Chinese cook had been knocked out and tied up in the kitchen, but was otherwise unhurt. Paul sat down on the settee. “Your father is asleep,” he began. “The bullet wasn’t in very deep, and I got it out cleanly. It hadn’t damaged anything, thankfully, but it’ll be several days before he’s going to feel like moving about. He lost quite a bit of blood.” Paul looked round. “Okay, so tell me the story. Where’s Joe?”

Biting his lip, Adam said, “He’s been taken hostage by my cousin David, who shot Pa and stole our money.”

“That’s not quite what I was expecting you to say,” Paul admitted, looking pole-axed. “Have you told Roy?”

“Yes,” Hoss mumbled. “I did afore I came for you, doc.”

“Why hasn’t he been out?” Adam asked, angrily, and almost before he stopped speaking, they heard hooves in the yard.

“That’ll be him now,” Hoss said, relief in his voice. He rose and crossed to the door, and let Roy in.

The sheriff looked grim. “Adam, Hoss,” he greeted them. His gaze took in Hop Sing and Paul, too. “We followed them tracks as far as we could, but we lost them near Snake Creek. It’s too dark to look any further now. If’n you don’t mind, me and the boys will bed down here, ready to get an early start in the morning. How’s Ben?”

“He’ll be all right,” Adam said. “We’ll be ready to go at first light, Roy. You’re quite welcome to stay here. But don’t tell Pa anything about Joe, please.”

“I won’t be bothering your Pa, son,” Roy said, kindly. “Better get some rest yourself.” He hesitated, then added, “Adam, I found out that your cousin is wanted for bank robbery in several states, going back several years. I’m sorry to have to tell you this.”

“How do you know?” Adam asked, his tone simply enquiring.

“Joe asked me to look into those two men your Pa hired. Your cousin’s name was linked with theirs.”

“I see,” Adam said, grimly. “Thank you, Roy.”

Looking at Adam, Paul knew that there was little chance of Adam resting properly until Joe was found.

                **********

The ground was cold and hard, but Joe barely noticed. He had been dragged from Buck’s back and thrown down beside a tree. His feet had been tightly bound together, and apart from the occasional kick as Dickinson went past, he had been largely ignored. Joe didn’t care. He was sunk deep in the misery of believing his beloved father was dead. He didn’t notice the cold, or the rain, which came in with the darkness, or the hunger pangs in his belly, or his throbbing head. He made no attempt to eat the food offered to him, and he refused to drink. He hardly noticed Dickinson taunting him about being the baby of the family, and it wasn’t until his indifference provoked Dickinson into violence that Joe became aware of his surroundings. As it was, he had no way of protecting himself, and if David hadn’t stepped in after a few minutes, Joe might not have survived the beating. When Dickinson was hauled away, Joe was bleeding from the mouth and head, and groaning from the pain in his mid-riff.

A splash of water in his face made him choke, and he looked up into his captor’s face. A burst of intense hatred seized Joe, and he fought his bonds for the first time. It got him nowhere. The ropes were too well tied to allow him to escape. “I’ll get you for this,” he vowed, through split, bleeding lips.

Far from being dismayed by this, David seemed amused. “Those knocks on the head must have shaken loose the few brain cells you had, cousin,” he sneered. “I’m waiting with baited breath to see how you do it.” He laughed. “Joe, I’ve outwitted every lawman in the land for the last 5 years. I hardly think an old man like the sheriff of Virginia City is going to be the one to catch me.”

“He’ll have my brothers helping him,” Joe said, in a low voice. “They won’t rest until they’ve found me.”

“Sure,” David said, scathingly. “But they have your precious Pa to worry about. Is he still alive? Will they come looking for you if he might die at any minute? I hardly think so! But even if they do, your precious brothers won’t risk your life. I’ll take you apart piece by piece if I need to, Joe. Anything that keeps them at bay works for me. Good night.” He rose unhurriedly and walked away.

                ************

By the time dawn broke, Joe hadn’t slept at all. He wasn’t offered any food or water, but he didn’t care. He felt lousy, with his head still throbbing, and his ribs sore. Once more, he was hoisted onto Buck’s back, and they rode off, along Snake Creek. Near noon, they stopped to rest, and Joe’s feet were once more tightly tied. He managed to doze as the gang ate their cold midday meal, and he was kicked awake when they were ready to move on.

From there on, the going became rougher, and their pace was slowed to a walk. Joe found it harder to stay in the saddle, as Buck slipped and slid along the rocky, uneven, ground. Brown, who was leading Buck, suddenly let out a shout, as his horse slid on a patch of loose shale. Buck shied and stumbled, and Joe found himself crashing to the ground. It was pandemonium, as the horses were infected by the panic of Buck and Brown’s horse. But gradually, the outlaws got the horses back under control, and everyone came to a halt.

Brown’s horse was lame. Not just a little, but hopping lame. Joe, looking at the injured animal’s leg, thought that it had broken its pastern, and he turned concerned eyes on Buck. However, the buckskin gelding was sound. Sure enough, as Dickinson dragged Joe to his feet, David unshipped his gun and put the horse out of its misery. The shot echoed back along the hills, and Joe felt a surge of satisfaction. Sound carried for miles in the mountains, and David had just raised a large flag saying ‘we are here.’

“I ain’t walkin’,” Brown protested. “Not while nancy-boy there rides!”

For a minute, Joe thought there would be a major falling out among thieves. David looked angry, and glared at Joe as though the whole situation was his fault. But he finally gave in to Brown, and said, “All right, you ride the buckskin. Tie a rope round his middle and bring him along. And hurry up about it. We’ve lost enough time as it is!”

It wasn’t quite as simple as David wanted it to be, though. In the end, Joe’s hands were retied in front of him, and the rope tied to Buck’s saddle horn. Joe had been amused by the time it had taken them to get organised, but his amusement faded rapidly as he stumbled along behind the horse. The footing was treacherous for man as well as beast, and he fell many times. Sweat ran into his eyes, but he couldn’t wipe it away. His headache, which had eased slightly, returned in full force, and the lack of food, and more importantly water, took its toll. After about an hour, Joe collapsed and couldn’t get back up.

He lay there, gasping, his vision dark round the edges, and splintering into myriad patterns in the bright sun. There was a roaring sound in his ears, and he thought he would never move again. Water was poured on his head, and for a moment, he felt better. But then a boot crashed into his ribs, and Joe lost his tenuous grip on consciousness.

“Now look what you’ve done!” David snapped. “He’ll have to ride double with someone. This is taking forever, and I wanted to be gone from here before nightfall!”

“Why don’t we just dump him?” Brown demanded. “He’s been nothing but a pest from the start!”

“He’s worth a lot of cash,” David said, coldly. “Do you want to turn down easy money?”

“It ain’t that easy when we’ve got to drag him with us everywhere,” Dickinson chimed in. “And havin’ him ride double will slow us down, too!”

“I’m still in charge here,” David said, his voice dangerous. “Unless either of you want to take over?”

The threat was clear, and neither Brown nor Dickinson was willing to face down David’s wrath. “No,” Brown said, sulkily. “But he will slow us down. He already has. That’s all we was sayin’.”

“I think that’s just become a moot point,” said a cold voice from the trees, and David, whirled, reaching for his gun, for he recognised the voice as Adam’s. A shot whistled past his shoulder. “I wouldn’t,” Adam advised.

From all round, men appeared, their guns aimed on the gang. David realised that Joe had indeed slowed them down, and allowed his brothers and the posse to not only catch up, but to get in front of them. They were surrounded, but David made one last attempt at freedom. He dived at the prostrate Joe, with the intention of using him as a shield. But he wasn’t quick enough. Adam’s bullet hit him high in the back of the shoulder, knocking him to the ground. The next thing he knew, he was being arrested by the sheriff.

Kneeling next to Joe, Adam and Hoss released him from his bonds, wincing at the damage done to his wrists. Gently, they turned him over, and Adam supported his head and shoulders as Hoss trickled water into his mouth. Joe mumbled something they couldn’t catch. Adam handed Hoss the bandanna he wore, and Hoss used it to wipe the dried blood and dirt from his younger brother’s face. After a few minutes, Joe revived.

“Joe? Can you hear me?” Adam asked, anxiously.

“Adam?” Joe whispered. “That you?” His eyes opened and he squinted at his brother. Tears suddenly formed in his eyes, and ran, unheeded, down his face. “Oh, Adam, he shot Pa.”

“Easy, Joe, easy,” Adam soothed. “Pa’s going to be all right, honestly. He’s at home now, waiting for you.” And it hadn’t been the easiest of tasks, keeping Ben at home, when he discovered that his youngest son was in danger.

However, getting Joe home proved to be more difficult than they had anticipated. Joe had been without food and water for over 24 hours, and although he was drinking small amounts regularly, he was too weak and dehydrated to ride home. Roy and the posse needed all hands to take the gang back to the city, and they were a horse short. Eventually, Hoss and Adam rigged a rough travois, and Joe was taken home behind their horses. He slept a good deal of the way. It had been dark for several hours by the time they got home.

Luckily, Paul was still there, having been out to check on Ben, who was running a slight fever. He gave Joe a thorough examination, and bound up his broken ribs, and bandaged his abused wrists. The biggest problem was the dehydration, but that was slowly coming under control. Joe had obviously been concussed, and beaten, but a few days in bed would probably set him right again.

“I want to see Pa,” Joe insisted, weakly. He could still barely support his own weight, but he refused to rest until he had seen for himself that his father was alive and recovering. No reassurances were good enough for him.

“All right,” Paul capitulated. “You can go. Hoss, Adam, help him.” He knew that Ben would rest more easily when he saw Joe for himself, too.

Roused from an uneasy doze, Ben could hardly believe his eyes when he saw Joe coming into his room, supported by Adam and Hoss. Joe was pretty beaten up, and he sported a couple of bandages, but he was wearing the most dazzling smile of joy that Ben had ever seen. “Pa!” he exclaimed, and there was a world of thankfulness in that one word. “Pa, you’re all right! I thought he’d killed you!”

“Joe!” Ben whispered. “Oh, son, I’m so glad to see you. Are you all right? What did they do to you?”

“I’m fine,” Joe replied, and they all laughed, drunk with relief and joy. “We got the money back, Pa,” he said, as though the money was the thing that Ben had been worrying about.

“I think that’s enough,” Paul said. “Back to bed with you, young man. You can talk more when you can get through here under your own steam.”

So it wasn’t until a few, anxious, days later that Ben heard about Joe asking Roy to check into David’s background. “Why did you do it?” he asked, curious. He had had regular up dates on Joe’s progress towards visiting under his own steam, and as usual, Joe had beaten Paul’s estimate by a day or two. Ben didn’t like to admit, even to himself, how concerned he had been about Joe.

“I’m not sure,” Joe answered. “But he seemed to know our two new hands far too well for having met them just the day before. I was just suspicious, so I thought I’d check it out first before I did something about it.”

“How unlike you, Joe,” Adam commented. “I thought your motto was ‘Act first and think after’.”

Throwing Adam a disgusted look, Joe said, “I didn’t want you mad at me, Adam. David is your cousin, and if I’d come to you, you’d have decked me.”

Making a wry face, Adam agreed, “You’re right there. I’m sorry about what happened, to both you and Pa.”

“Its not your fault, son,” Ben said. “How were you to know? We were all fooled.” This was something Ben and Adam had discussed several times over the last few days. Adam had been horrified by his cousin’s duplicity, and had felt quite guilty. It had been a relief to Adam to finally admit that he hadn’t really liked David all that much. He looked at Joe, and the younger man smiled at him.

“Except Joe here,” Hoss added. “I guess a little suspicion isn’t necessarily a bad thing, sometimes.” He frowned. “Maybe I should be a might more suspicious of you, next time you think up a money making scheme.”

Immediately, Joe put on an injured look. “Now, Hoss, is that any way to speak to your brother??? Pa, Adam, tell him.”

Laughing, Ben put up his hands. “Oh, no, I’m not getting involved in this!”

“Nor me!” Adam exclaimed. “I’ve got work to do.” He made a swift exit, even as Joe continued pleading his case with the warped logic that so confused his brother Hoss, and made Ben wonder if Joe wouldn’t make an excellent politician!

The End


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