Summary:  Part eleven of Home

Word Count:  17,000

 

 

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Elm Grove

 

Chapter 1

 

Nevada Territory, Near the Massey Ranch, Elm Grove

March 1874

To anyone who would have come upon the group sitting on the hill over looking the Massey Ranch the group of men would have appeared vaguely military in how they were arranged. The horses were picketed in an orderly fashion and the men sat around the campfire finishing their food, discussing battle strategy for the next day.

“Why are we doing this, Chadwick? There must be an easier way for you and Flanagan to get back your money or what ever the heck you are lookin’ for.” Lem Kent asked anxiously. “Why go kill a whole bunch of people?” He was sitting with all the men listening to Chadwick and Flanagan detail how they all would ride into Massey Ranch the next day.

“There were thirty eight men who questioned my authority. They are all dead now. How is that for you?” Chadwick glared at him. Their eyes locked for a long minute. Kip Brown looked away and Chadwick grinned victoriously.

Flanagan nodded his approval of the Major’s handling of the belligerent member of their band. It was follow Chadwick’s orders or face the deadly consequences. The two men wanted the fortune in counterfeit money and plates that Danny Lowell had hidden on his sister’s ranch. This plan was not up to a democratic vote or a topic of discussion. The men had no choice but to follow the orders of Flanagan and Chadwick with military precision.

The restless men moved back into the shadows and Flanagan and Chadwick finished discussing their strategies for the attack on the Massey Ranch by the fire.

“Its pretty hard to trust a fanatic no matter how good his intentions are. And this pair’s intentions ain’t none too good.” Dick Gray said sullenly looking over his shoulder at Flanagan and Chadwick huddled head to head near the fire

“Can’t we just leave? Let’s just ride out. I didn’t think this was what I was signing on for. “Lem Kent said nervously. “I thought we were just gonna guard them two while they recovered their money. Now they is talkin’ about killing all those people we been watching.”

“Don’t borrow trouble, boy,” Tom Baxter said firmly.

“But it’s just an old man and some women and a little kid,” Gray said.

“And the skinny red head fella. He ain’t much more than a kid too. Why kill ‘em?” Lem observed. He tugged at the cuff of his jacket as he fidgeted nervously. The night was cold and he wanted to sit closer to the fire.

“Just do what they tell you to do. It is too late now to cut and run.” Al McCoy said.
”For a young one, you are pretty smart.” Baxter said looking at Al. At twenty three, McCoy had spent more than quarter of his life in jail.

”That’s how I stayed alive in the Nevada State Penitentiary. I intend on being a smart old one too.” Al McCoy added. He was going to do whatever he needed to do to finish out the job and get paid. Then he would leave, but not before.
”What are you fellas talking about” Kip Brown walked over to them from tending the horses. He threw his saddle down on the cold ground and flopped down next to it.

“Not much that you would be interested in.” Baxter glared.

Kip leaned back against his shabby saddle. He grinned cleaning his nails with his knife. “Are you sure? Ain’t much going on that I ain’t interested in around here.”

“Put that pig sticker away for once.” Lem Kent pleaded eyeing the long blade glittering in the flickering light of the campfire. The air was cold but tempers of the men were growing hot. They had been waiting for Chadwick and Flanagan to get moving on this and be done for days. The outlaws were itching for some action and to be done with this job.

”Ever kill a man?” Tom Baxter asked watching Kip fool with his knife. He wished he could grab the weapon from him and jam it between his ribs.

”Make you nervous?” Kip held the knife up and sneered.

Lem nodded his head. “Just once… that was what got me in trouble. It was in a saloon fight.”

“Only the one?”

Lem nodded.

”How about for the money that Flanagan and Chadwick are promising? Would you kill someone for that? I sure would.” Kip Brown scratched his ear with the tip of his knife. He would do almost anything for money.

“You would turn on your own mother if there was enough money in it.” grinned Baxter.

“I’d kill her too for the right price. And that price ain’t too high.” Al McCoy smirked as he walked back towards the fire. He looked up at the darkening sky.” Looks like it might just snow,”

 

Chapter 2

 

Massey Ranch

Nevada Territory

March 1874

Wrapped in a purple shawl her mother had knitted for her years earlier, Miss Barbara sat on her horse on the rocky rise above the Massey Ranch. The weak winter sun was barely over the ridge of the hills. She was there waiting for Doctor Smith to join her so she could escort him to where the band of Indians were camped. She was resigned to another argument with Ka-Pusta when she returned with Eldon Smith.
She would plead with Ka-Pusta imploring him to accept Andrea Lowell Massey Cartwright’s invitation to stay in her ornate house. That he would be more comfortable and warm for the winter. She would gently remind him that he was sick and growing older.

Ka-Pusta would be taciturn and argue that he could not leave his few remaining braves, that he was not sick or weak or old and that staying in the house of the red headed woman might endanger her and the little boy. Ka-Pusta was extremely fond of the child and would never want to see Eric in danger or Andrea implicated for giving the Indians sanctuary. By staying in the house, Ka-Pusta claimed he would be too vulnerable to capture by the cavalry or the Federal Marshals. He had a price on his head and many men would would be glad to find him.

Miss Barbara watched from the hillside as Doctor Smith started out from the corral at an easy lope away from the ranch house She knew Smith wanted to see if there was any improvement in the Indian’s hacking cough. Doctor Smith was certain that Ka-Pusta’s days were numbered. The cough was clearly consumption and sleeping on the cold ground and moving from place to place all winter was going to do him in.

There was very little of the medicine left. Eldon was relieved that Joe Cartwright was due at the Massey Ranch that day or the next with package Doctor Martin was sending from the apothecary in Virginia City. If this medication did not work, at least it might make Ka-Pusta more comfortable. It might even extend his life through the winter.

As Smith rounded the side of the corral heading toward the rocky hillside he saw a group of men arriving on horses. They were Chadwick and Flanagan’s men approaching, ready to take what they came for from the Massey Ranch.

From where she sat on her horse, hidden by dry brush and boulders, Barbara saw Smith slow his mount to a walk.
”Morning Gentlemen,” Doctor Smith greeted the visitors. “What brings you to these parts?”

In a split second, without a word, one of the men had drawn his gun and fired. Dr. Eldon Smith lurched forward in the saddle, barely holding on. The horse’s ears went back and he tossed his head, prancing nervously he unseated his mortally wounded rider who fell hard to the ground. The gelding whinnied in terror and fled, stirrups flying as he raced away. From where she sat, Miss Barbara had seen the whole thing.

“Doctor Smith!” Barbara gasped as she saw him lay bleeding on the frozen ground. Even from the distance, she was certain from how still Doctor Smith lay that he was surely dead. Just as the men looked up towards her, she kicked her heels into her own horse and took off to the canyon where she knew Ka-pusta was waiting.

“Someone is up there,” Flanagan said to the men. “Find them, and kill them all,”

 

Chapter 3

 

Meg and Joe trotted down the ranch road toward the Massey Ranch. The afternoon light was quickly growing thin as the pale lemon sun sunk in the graying sky. They both could smell snow in the chill air.

” We sure made good time getting up here,” Joe grinned. “We will be inside cozied up by the fire well before the weather turns.”

“Look!” Meg pointed at the statues lining the ranch road. Each one was damaged, as if someone had used them for target practice. One wood nymph was missing an arm, a few had no heads and most of the figures had been partially shattered and toppled off their bases. Shards of shattered marble littered the ground

“Someone shot up Andrea’s statues.” Meg gasped pointing around the grounds.
Joe looked around the property as they rode. It was strangely quiet. “Where is everyone? Andrea knew we were coming today and Pierce should have arrived by now too. I think he was going to be here yesterday or the day before.”

They trotted into the ranch yard. A few horses were in the corral and a cluster of men stood near the fence. Meg and Joe dismounted and tied their horses to the fence.
”Afternoon,” Joe greeted them warily. He stood close to Meg. He took a protective step forward so that Meg was a bit hidden behind him. There was something very unsettling going on. Meg’s heart started pounding in her chest.

The burly man looked straight at them. “Afternoon. Anything I can do for you?” He didn’t sound at all friendly.

Joe’s eyes darted from one man to another. All wore gun belts and one had a rifle in his hand. He was very sure that something was terribly wrong at the Massey Ranch and that he and Meg had just ridden into big trouble. The younger man leading his horse hung back, but the second mean looking man was edging his horse closer and closer towards Joe and Meg

“Where’s Miss Andrea? Is Doc Smith or Red Robinson around?” Joe asked again, his eyes meeting the other mans stare. The place was just too quiet. The hair on the back of Joe’s neck stood up.
”Who?” the man asked glaring at Joe and Meg.

Joe caught Meg’s eye. Who could be working on the Massey Ranch and not know the name of the owner and Doctor Eldon Smith and Red who lived on the place with Joe’s sister in law?

“Where is everyone? Is everyone gone?” Meg took a step around Joe and stared at the man. Cartwright put his hand on her arm protectively but there was no stopping Meg. She was use to dealing directly with rough men around the auction yard and this crew was hardly different. At least she initially thought they were no different.

“That’s right. They are all gone. Ain’t seen no one left around here.” he lied casually as he struck a match on the hitching rail and lit up a hand rolled cigarette.

Joe saw a dangerous little flicker in the man’s eyes. Instinctively, Joe quickly drew his gun. “Now put your hands in the air and back off.”

“Now, fella, you let people pull guns on law-abiding visitors? I’m here to buy some stock. Don’t hardly seem necessary to me,” The man eased his hands partway up into the air and as he did he whirled and drew his gun and fired. Joe shot faster and the man fell to the frozen ground. Lem Kent had breathed his last.

”Meg! Quick! Get down.” Joe shouted and Meg jumped behind a tree. A shot rang out aimed at Joe from the barn. Frozen earth spit up at his feet and he zig zagged toward the tree where Meg was hidden. He dove over the ice coated horse trough and landed on the ground next to her.

“Are you all right?” she gasped pulling him down as another shot rang out.

He nodded.” Stay down until we figure what is going on.”

”How many do you think there are?”

”I got that one over there. And someone is shooting at us from the barn.”

Meg squatted down as low as she could and Joe pulled her tightly to him. He could feel her warm breath on his cheek and smell the flowery scent of her soap. “If I give you my gun, you can cover me and I think I can get over to the horse and get my rifle.”

”Joe, Look,” she interrupted him pulling on his coat. She pointed beyond the barn. There was a bloody body lying between them and the house.

”Jeez.Meg. It’s Doctor Smith. They killed him.”

”Joe! Meg! Over here! “They heard someone call from behind them. It was Pierce Winslow hunkered down behind the woodpile. Meg and Joe scurried over to where he was hidden.

“Pierce! What is going on?” Meg demanded as Joe looked warily about.

” I don’t know. I got here late last night. This morning, I came out here after breakfast. Andrea took her little boy on her horse and rode out to check on something up in the hills. They were going into the hills to bring some food up their for some folks before the weather got too bad. Andrea said they had guests there that she needed to bring supplies to.”

“Guests?” Meg asked.

”Miss Barbara’s friends I suppose, she had already gone on ahead. I started to water the livestock and before I knew what was happening the whole bunch of them outlaws came riding in and someone started shooting. They shot Doctor Smith.” Pierce frowned.

He had been hidden there, for a couple of very cold hours hoping to get off the place and ride for help but he had been pinned down by the man shooting from behind the purple shed. Someone pegged a shot at him every time he moved out from behind the woodpile. When he saw Meg and Joe ride in he was helpless to warn them of the danger.

“We got to get out of here. They’re going to be back to finish what they started. Where’s Andrea and Eric now?” Joe asked.

Winslow shook his head. Joe looked at Meg. They both knew Ka- Pusta and his men were hiding on the ranch. Perhaps Miss Barbara was still up there too.

“Pierce, where is my nephew!” Joe grabbed his arm. He thought miserably of Dr. Eldon Smith lying dead not a hundred yards from where they were hiding.

“I don’t know, I said,” Pierce pleaded pulling out of Cartwright’s grasp.

Joe got alarmed. “What do you mean you don’t know? Where is Eric?”

“Like I said, Andrea rode out with him in the morning. Then a few hours later she came back on her own. Joe, she was all alone.”

”Alone?” Meg asked. “Where would she leave him. No one lives around here for miles.”

“She said they met up with some outlaws and she got away and put Eric someplace safe. Andrea said she hid him. She came back to get help from us here but it was too late. She rode right into this. She told us she hid Eric and then she rode out again.“

“Us?”

”Me and Red Robinson. Don’t know where Red is now.” Pierce shook his head dispiritedly, “ When the shooting started, I ran one way and he went the other. I don’t know what happened to him.”

“We have to find them Pierce. Do you think Andrea got away?”

Winslow grimaced. “I sure hope so. But, Joe. I think those men got ‘em. I heard them say that they were looking for some valuables that Danny Lowell had hidden here.”

“Danny Lowell?” Meg asked. She had pressed herself as close to Joe as she could. “Andrea’s brother… Danny Lowell,” unconsciously Joe put his hand on his side where he had been shot in the desperate gun battle with the Striker Gang. Danny had been part of that gang and he had died the same day, by the same shotgun that almost killed Joe Cartwright.

“Danny Lowell is dead. He died a real long time ago.” Joe sucked in his breath and tried not to shake at the mention of Danny Lowell and the though of Striker’s men trying to kill everyone on the Ponderosa. Meg could sense his discomfort and turned to face him.

Meg put her hand on Joe’s gloved hand. “But Joe, where could Eric be?”

Pierce said, “Andrea said something about hiding him and that Otis Massey would keep the boy safe.”

“Otis Massey?” Meg asked.

“This is totally insane. Otis Massey, Andrea’s first husband died more than ten years ago. That crazy old miner couldn’t take care of anyone even when he was alive. What the heck could Andrea mean?”

“That’s what she said, Joe. Otis Massey would keep Eric safe.” Pierce repeated what Andrea had told him as she rode out.

”Then we’re going to have to find them. We have to find them before the snow comes or we won’t be able to see the tracks.” Joe looked at the two dead men on the ground. “Let’s get moving.”

“We have to get us some horses. Mine is in the barn,” Pierce told them. If you cover me, I can get over there. There are half dozen fresh horses in the barn. We can ride out the back door of the barn if we could just get from here to the barn,” Winslow detailed. “Looks like you shot one and the rest scattered.”

”How many were there?” Meg asked.

”Five, maybe six. I’m not sure. Joe got one. I got one behind the shed. That makes two of them dead.”

“And poor Doctor Smith,” Meg sighed. She had only met the man once before but she was taken by his gentle sincerity.

“They can’t see us over here. And if we go that way, the trees and the side of that pink shed and the smoke house will block us.” Pierce pointed. “I’ll go first. Then you follow,”

“Sounds like a good plan,” Joe agreed. He reloaded his gun and nodded to Pierce to head out.

 

Chapter 4

 

Meg and Joe skulked around the corner of the stable just as a man crossed the threshold, and they stopped in surprise. Joe pulled Meg down next to him near the open door. There was an armed intruders walking right into the building. He was going to catch Winslow saddling the horses.

On the verge of calling to Pierce, Meg found Joe’s gloved hand pressed firmly against her lips. He shook his head and whispered in her ear, “Wait. Don’t let them know we are here. We don’t know how many more of them are around.”
”But they will find Pierce,” Meg gasped. Could Joe still be so angry at Pierce that he would allow the outlaws to shoot him down?
”No they won’t. Stay here,” He ordered. He checked that his gun was fully loaded and handed it to her. “Cover me,”

Before Meg could protest or tell him to be careful, Joe scurried around the far side of the stable. He quickly ducked into a stall where a horse whickered and the thud of hooves could be heard in the cold still air. Joe heard the horses in the corral shift nervously as the icy wind brought a hint of smoke.

Unarmed, Joe looked around the almost empty barn. There were a couple of milk cows at the far end. The horses were at the opposite end and hanging right in front of him was Eric’s keg horse. He couldn’t see Pierce from where he was hidden.

Joe raised his head to see where the smoke was coming from and realized that the ornate Massey house was burning. The intruders had been searching the house and when they couldn’t find Danny Lowell’s box, they set a fire in the front hall of the house.

“Son of a bitch, they are setting the place on fire,” he crept closer to the outlaw. He was headed towards the stable where Pierce was getting the horses ready. As the man got closer to where Joe was hidden, Cartwright saw his face in the light coming in through the high window. Even though the man’s hat was shadowing his face, Joe recognized the man instantly. The man approaching on silent feet was cavalry Major Chadwick.

As Joe crouched down behind the wooden partition in the shadow, he heard he jangle of the cinch buckles and sound of Pierce saddling a horse to his right. Major Chadwick stalked silently towards Winslow, walking right past Joe without seeing him. He pointed his gun straight ahead, ready to kill Pierce.
Joe gritted his teeth. Chadwick was going to catch Pierce and certainly kill him, if Joe didn’t do something quickly. Joe automatically reached to his holster for his gun but suddenly realized that he had left his pistol with Meg. He was unarmed and helpless to defend Winslow and himself.

The keg horse hung right in front of Joe. He ducked down trying to see around the heavy wooden toy. Then Joe Cartwright remembered something, a vague memory like a dream from long, long ago. He slowly raised his gloved hand and put it gently on the keg horse. The toy swung from the ropes looped over a beam, just as Adam had hung it months earlier.

As Chadwick stepped toward Pierce Winslow, Joe Cartwright put both of his hands firmly on the keg horse rear end and pushed it hard with all his strength. He aimed the keg directly at Chadwick. Joe leaped up as the keg horse hit Chadwick in his mid section.

“Oof!” Chadwick grunted as the head of the wooden horse caught him. His hand flew up and his gun fired in the air. Chadwick fell to his knees on the barn floor clutching himself. The horse’s tail end hit the back of his head as it swung back. The hard metal rim on the edge of the keg hit Chadwick in the back of his head with great force. Unconscious, the major slumped limply to the barn floor.

The heavy barrel had hit with such force it had snapped Major Chadwick’s neck. The man who had been instrumental in the murder of so many people over the years lay crumpled dead in front of Joe Cartwright. He had been killed by a child’s toy.

“Pierce!” Joe called out from the stall. Don’t shoot Pierce it’s me, Joe.” Cartwright hurried over to him.

Winslow stood frozen next to a sorrel mare he had been saddling. His held his gun in his shaking hand. “I never saw him Joe. I never saw him. Thanks.”

“Let’s get out of here. “ Joe pulled a saddle off the rack and threw it across the back of a black gelding. They both looked up as Meg slid in through the door and ran over to the two men.

“I just saw them go into the pink shed. It looks like they have Red with them all tied up. I could see him when the door opened.” She gasped. “We have to help him.”

“Are they still in there?”

”I couldn’t tell, I was afraid they saw me and got scared. So I ran in here,” Meg reported. She saw Chadwick’s body lying on the barn floor and gasped, clutching at Joe’s hand. “Is he…?”

”Dead?” Pierce nodded. “Joe got him before he got me.”

“It’s Chadwick, Meg. Major Chadwick.”

 

Chapter 5

 

Carefully the three of them ran to the shed to free Red Robinson. “Stay here Meg and keep watch.” Meg knelt down behind a low fence.

Joe and Pierce crept towards the pink shed. “You wait here. I’ll go first.” Pierce said. “Go around the other side and check none of them are there.”
Joe nodded and ducked down by the corner of the shed. He slowly crept around the far side of the building as Pierce cautiously pushed open the door of the shed.

Just as Meg had thought, Red was inside bound and gagged.

“Boy, are you a sight for sore eyes!” Pierce grinned as he leaned over Red and started to untie him.

”Mmmmpphe!” Red gasped through the gag trying to alert Pierce to the danger behind him. Just as Pierce started to untie him, he realized Kip Brown was standing behind the shed door with his knife in his hand. Kicking the door closed, Brown jumped forward and grabbed Pierced around his chest, stabbing him in the shoulder. As Pierce fought him off he knocked the knife from the outlaw’s hands.

On the outside, Joe heard the door slam shut and loped around the side of the shed. He kicked the wooden door open with his boot and aimed his gun at Kip Brown. Struggling to hang on to Pierce, Brown whirled to face Joe Cartwright drawing his gun.

Joe growled through his teeth. “See who can shoot faster. You or me.”

Kip Brown heard the click of the hammer of Cartwright’s gun being cocked and dropped his hand. His pistol slid from it and dropped to the wooden floor of the shed and bounced under a stack of crates.

“Guess you got me, Cowboy. Brown smiled weakly at Joe Cartwright. Brown released Winslow and shoved him hard into Joe knocking the gun out of Cartwright’s hand. It skittered within a foot of Red. The two men tumbled into the wall of the shed as Joe tried to catch the injured man. Pierce Winslow, bleeding from his shoulder fell with a crash as he tripped into a heap between Joe and the tool bench.

Brown leaped at Joe with a crazed vengeance. Both men grappled briefly on the floor, each trying desperately to gain the advantage, neither willing to let go of his opponent. With Kip Brown now on top, Joe managed to get his feet and knees up under him and pushed over onto the rough wooden floor. Both fighters instantly rolled to their feet. Without warning, Kip Brown grabbed a crate and smashed it down on the side of Joe’s right shoulder. Joe was stunned and for an instant lost his balance. Again, Joe was on all fours with Kip Brown laughing at him. Kip Brown yanked Joe up off the floor by the front of his jacket and slammed him up against the wall so hard that the impact rattled his teeth.

Kip kicked him with a heavy boot as Joe lay on his side against the shed wall gasping for breath. Pierce was lying slumped against the floor, blood staining his coat. Red Robinson frantically tried to squirm out of the ropes and untie himself. If Kip Brown beat Joe down before he finished freeing himself, they all would be done for.

Just before Kip Brown’s next vicious kick could incapacitate him, Joe’s scattered senses began to function. He agiley rolled away and got shakily to his feet. He quickly recovered. For the first time since he was struck, his mind cleared.

He managed to get to his feet set then ripped hard rights then lefts into Kip Brown’s midsection. Joe felt touched to his core by a desperate white hot savagery. He flailed away at Kip Brown, feeling an outlet for the fury he felt at the destruction he found at Massey Ranch.

Brown tried to match him blow for blow, but Joe’s fists were brutal and seemed now to have the greater power. He had to find his nephew Eric before it was too late.

With all the power of leg muscle, back and shoulder, Joe sent his fist slamming against Brown’s jaw. With a snarl of rage, Kip Brown came back up in a tight crouch and spun around. Brown reached his hand to a scythe that was hanging on the shed wall. He whirled on Joe the scythe raised to strike.

Joe! Look out!” Meg screamed as she came round the door.

Just as Brown swung the sharp tool at Joe, they heard the explosion of a pistol. Kip Brown fell to the floor, almost on top of Red. The scythe clattered to the floor. Stunned, Joe quickly spun around and saw Red pointing a pistol at the assailant. It was Joe’s gun that Red had managed to pick up from the floor. Black gun smoke snaked its way toward the wooden ceiling of the shed. Red had managed to free his hands and grab Joe’s gun from where it had fallen.

Joe looked down at Brown bleeding on the floor of the shed. He was dead.

”Joe!” Meg exclaimed. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine but he stabbed Pierce.” Joe said breathlessly wiping his sleeve across his face. Blood was oozing from his split lip.

Meg noticed Pierce slumped in the corner of the shed, his light gray jacket was blood stained. Pierce tried to stand up from where he had fallen but his legs wobbled. Meg went over to assist him.

There was a thud behind them as Red kicked his bound feet against the side of a barrel to get their attention. Joe stepped over and with Brown’s bloody knife cut the ropes and pulled the gag off his mouth.

”Are you ok?”

Red nodded as he sat more upright.” I had to Joe. I had to shoot him or he would have killed you.” Red’s voice trembled. “He shot Doc Smith. I couldn’t let him get you too.”

”Let’s go find Eric,” he gasped. Red’s long legs were stiff and his fingers were blue tipped from his hands being tied up in the cold shed for hours. Joe offered the boy a hand but when he tried to stand up Red stumbled against him. He sunk back to the floor and rubbed his aching legs. “Got no feeling in them. Give me a minute and I’ll be ok.”

“You are in no shape to be any help, neither of you. “ Joe ordered. “Stay back here, the both of you. Red, bandage up Pierce.”

“It doesn’t look like that cut is gonna kill you but it needs some tending. Meg said examining her friend’s knife wound. Poking around the shed, Meg found some horse liniment and some clean rags on a shelf and handed them to Red.

Red leaned awkwardly over Pierce and helped the taller man take off his jacket and opened his shirt so Red could bandage his stab wound.

“They killed Doctor Smith. He would know what to do here better than me, Mr. Winslow.” The young man’s lip quivered as he tried not to cry over the man who had raised him.

”You are doing just fine, boy.” Pierce winced as Red poured some liniment onto his shoulder and tried to clean it out.

 

Chapter 6

 

“Stay here, both of you. Joseph and I will go find the boy,” Meg said firmly.

” We will be back.” Joe looked at Red and Pierce. “We have to go find Andrea and Eric.”

“The house…” Red started. He looked at the smoldering house. It had been the only home he knew for many years and now it was on fire.

“There is nothing we can do about the house. It just will burn itself out or not. They got to find the boy,” Pierce told the young red head. Red had bandaged his knife wound and as Joe had said, it wasn’t serious but there was no way either he or Red could ride out just then.

“We’d better get going and find Eric.” Meg couldn’t wait to get away from the smell of the burning house. She climbed up on one of the horses that had been in the barn.

Joe started walking rapidly toward the other horse. “We’ll back here in a hour,” Joe ordered walking away from the other two men to where Meg was holding his horse’s reigns.

“Joe!” called Winslow. Joe stopped and turned toward him. “You look after Meg and yourself, Be real careful, boy. Don’t let anything happen to either of you. “ Winslow said quietly. He handed Joe the rifle that one of the dead men had been carrying. Red held another. Winslow was still shaken from the experience in the barn. He owed Joe Cartwright his life and now he wasn’t even able to give him any help in finding the missing little boy or Andrea.

“We are going to find Eric. We will,” Meg told all of them. Joe handed her the rifle. “You know how to use this?” She nodded and slid the rifle into the scabbard on the saddle. She realized she was probably riding one of the dead outlaw’s horses.

“Let’s go, Joe. We need to find that boy and Andrea.” Meg called.

Joe nodded and turned back to his horse. He climbed on to the back of the mount that Pierce had been saddling when Joe saved him.

“Let’s go,” Joe kicked the horse into a gallop and Meg followed him up the hill.

 

Chapter 7

 

She ran as fast as she could, carrying the boy in her arms. Andrea’s hand once again reached for the butt of the gun tucked into her belt. She heard men calling out to each other as they came up the hillside. Tightly holding Eric in her arms she got to her feet and carefully looked out through the trees. He was heavy and she couldn’t carry him much further over the rough terrain. The trail was icing up and she was loosing her footing as she ran. He was only three years old but he was a big boy like his father. He was getting too heavy for her to carry very far. Down the slope, heading away from them she saw Flanagan and his men approaching.

Andrea knew the small side tunnel of the original Massey strike was up on this hill. It was over grown and hidden but she was sure this was the best place for her to hide the boy.

She was cold and her body was horribly chilled. She started to panic. Andrea dropped the gun, embracing her baby. “You have to walk a bit now honey. Mama can’t carry you so far.”

He nodded and took her hand. “Where are we going? Is it far away?”

He tried his best to keep up with her as they walked up the hill. Andrea knew she had to look for the cluster of round boulders and then head across the hill from that mark. For an instant she feared she couldn’t spot the trail marker in the growing darkness. Finally she saw them. Four round boulders, just as Otis had shown her. The small one, the medium ones and the very large round boulder were the sign for the mine entrance. She leaned against them for a minute and biting her lower lip made sure she was headed in the right direction. Four hundred feet up across the crest behind some brush was the crack in the hill. No one would see it if they didn’t know to look for it.

“We are going to play a special game Sweet Eric.”

”What Mama?” He smiled. “What game?”

”Hide and seek. You must stay here until Mama comes back. Can you do that?”

”I am hungry Mama. I want to eat supper. Can I have supper soon?”

“Soon my sweet. Let’s go inside this special playhouse. Mr. Otis made a special place for us to play hide and seek. “
”Oh goody Mama.” Eric smiled. He was getting tired but was such a cooperative little boy he didn’t whine or complain. Long ago, in another lifetime, Andrea had tried unsuccessfully to protect mother, her younger brother and sister. This time she had to succeed or die trying to protect her beloved child. This was all she had from her darling Hoss.

“We can have a picnic too. I have a sandwich for you and a cookie.”

“Thank you. When is Uncle Joe getting here? Is Grandpa coming too? Can I we play in the barn too?”

Andrea led her son into the cave and found the lantern with a stub of a candle that had been left there long before when she showed Hoss the cave years earlier.

 

Chapter 8

 

“Mama? “ Eric smiled sitting up. He had dozed off on his mother’s lap and wanted to go back to the house. “Is it time to go back home now? This playhouse isn’t nice. It is cold and dark. I want to go back home.”

The afternoon dragged on endlessly in the dark hiding place. Andrea had blown out the candle so that no crack of light could give them away as the sun set. Eric thought it was night

She tried to calm her son again, when she remembered the he had no idea what time it was.”Oh no sweetie. It is the middle of the night. See how dark it is in here. You go back to sleep and have sweet dreams. Uncle Joe is bringing you a nice treat. Dream of that.”

“Like the wood horses?” He smiled and lay back down on the nest of blankets that Andrea had made for him. She covered him over as snuggly as she could and rubbed his back until he closed his eyes.

“Eric, Mama will be back. You go to back to sleep and Mama will go get some food for you. You stay here and go back to sleep and we will have a delicious breakfast when I get back. What ever you like, my darling.”
”Like at Grandpa Ben’s? Pan cakes and syrup. That is what I like. And hot cocoa too. I’m cold here.” The little boy sunk down deeper in the blankets and Andrea tucked her paisley shawl tightly around him. She silently prayed for Hoss to watch over his son.

“Good night Mama! I love you so much.” He clutched the edge of the shawl in his hand.
Andrea kissed her son for the very last time. “I love you so much too. Now remember you stay here until I come back for you and I will bring you a very special wonderful treat“

“Yes Mama.” He smiled sweetly and closed his blue eyes. Andrea sat and looked at her darling child. He fell asleep in a few minutes and Andrea stood and walked out of the mine for the last time.

 

Chapter 9

 

She listened intently to the sounds of wind and the rocks around her. It was late afternoon and Eric had been so tired that he easily believed her when she told him it was the night. She had cradled her son for quite awhile, speaking quietly to him, trying to soothe him, keeping the child calm. He was hungry and had eaten the bits of cheese and bread that she had in her bag. The boy would be hungry again soon and Andrea did her best to put him off each time he asked for supper. He sang to himself until he went to sleep and at least while he slept he was calm and quiet.

She didn’t want to be observed by the men hunting for her. She couldn’t be detected if she stayed in the under brush. Andrea was sure the men would be returning to search for her and the hidden chest before nightfall. They had every intention of getting the box of forged documents and plates that Daniel had hidden years earlier even if it meant killing Eric and her and anyone else that got in their way.

On impulse her hand reached over and touched the gun lying beside her. She would kill anyone in order to protect her child with no hesitation. Just the thought of it made her sick, but she pushed back her emotions and focused on her child. She needed to hide him and keep him safe. This was what Hoss would want her to do. She was a mother first, and nobody was going to try and hurt Eric without a fight from her. She could try to double back to the hills and get some of Ka-Pusta’s Indians to come back with her for her son. The only chance the boy had was for Andrea to hide Eric, draw the men away and come back for the boy when it was safe.

It was unlikely that Flanagan’s men would leave on their own. They wanted whatever it was that her brother, Danny had stolen from them.

Flanagan and his men would never believe that she had no idea where her brother hidden their things. Daniel was dead for almost four years and he hid those things at least ten years earlier. She had just married Otis Massey when he came to visit.

Andrea turned quickly, stooped down and grabbed the pistol. She ran down the tunnel and back to the clearing in the trees. She got on her horse and rode as fast as she could away from the mine hoping to draw Flanagan’s men away from her child.

She saw them heading close to the entrance of the mine. They would see the trampled down snow and the foot prints if they went on much further. She had to stop them.

She raised the gun and pulled the trigger………once, twice, three times. One man fell.

Down below the lower fork the echo of three gunshots carried through the trees and onto the meadow. Both the men on horse back turned quickly toward the sound and without missing a beat started up the mountain toward Andrea and away from where Eric was hidden.

 

Chapter 10

 

“Look!” Meg pointed to a crumpled figure in the middle of the trail. She could see by the red hair that it was Andrea.
They pulled up their horses and dismounted. Joe rushed over to Andrea and scooped her up in his arms. Joe looked at her pale face as he picked up her hand and held it tight in his. Snow was beginning to fall again. A few flakes landed in her hair.

“Andrea?” He called to his sister in law. He pulled off his gloves touched her icy cold cheek. Her face felt more like the frozen marble cheeks of one of the smashed statues than human flesh.

Andrea opened her eyes and looked up at him. The relief of recognition flickered in her eyes. ”Joe, take care of Eric.” She moaned and shuddered as Joe held her.

Meg knelt next to Andrea and smoothed her auburn hair off her forehead. “You are not going to die. We’ll get you help. We will take care of you.”

“Where did you put him?” Joe pleaded. Andrea shivered in his arms and her eyes closed again. “Where is Eric?”

Meg picked up Andrea’s hand. Andrea opened her eyes and looked at Meg’s frightened face.“Meg, Please be sure you get Eric to the Cartwrights, promise me. No matter what. You and Joe make sure he is safe. The Cartwrights are good people and they’ll make sure he is protected. Make sure Meg.”
Meg nodded. “I’ll make sure,” she promised squeezing Andrea’s limp cold hand. Meg was fighting back her tears.

Joe’s hands were full of her blood as he held Andrea to his chest. “Where is he? Where did you put Eric, Andrea?”
”Otis Massey is taking care of him,” Andrea whispered. “Make sure Eric knows about his father. Tell your father and Adam to make sure he knows about Hoss.” She gasped. She was having trouble breathing.

“I will. We all will, ’ “Joe smiled at her. Joe had seen enough gun shot wounds over the years and he could see she was hurt badly, worse than he dared think. She was gut shot and Joe knew that under the best of conditions it would be hard to keep her alive. He could feel the life draining out of her as he pulled her closer.

“Hoss loved you Andrea. I know my brother did” Joe bit his lip. Tears welled up in his eyes but he blinked them off. Crying wouldn’t do anyone any good now. He still had to find Eric and get Meg out of here before any of the outlaws returned.

“Andrea where is the baby. Where’s Eric?’ Meg asked again.

“Otis Massey will take care of him. He is hidden.” Andrea whispered. She closed her eyes and died in Joe Cartwright’s arms.

They stood up, stunned by what had just happened.

“We… we have to bury her Joe.”

”We can’t, not now. It is getting dark and we have to find Eric. Joe looked around at the darkening sky. The snow was really beginning to come down. “We’ll come back for her when we find Eric. There was one of the outlaw’s bed roll on the back of the horse he was riding and he pulled it off the saddle and wrapped Andrea in it and pulled her into the underbrush off the trail.

”Hidden?” Where would she hide him?” Joe looked around the area where they were standing. . He looked at his hands and saw Andrea’s blood all over them. Meg handed him her scarf and he tried to clean himself up a bit with some snow. He shivered for an instant realizing that Andrea had just died in his arms.

Joe we have to go to find Eric quick! Those men might come back” Meg pulled on Joe’s sleeve.

“She said Otis would take care of Eric.” Joe repeated as he looked around.

“Joe, where would she put a little boy on the ranch so he would be safe?

“I don’t know. But we better find him. It’s damn cold out there and it will be colder when the sun goes down.” He climbed back on the horse and raised the collar of his coat.

 

Chapter 11

 

They tried to follow what they thought was Andrea’s tracks and agreed to circle back to the house in an hour if they didn’t find anything.

Joe was very sure an hour had already passed but he was not ready to give up. The country that Meg and Joe rode through was rough, full of rocks and frozen scrub brush. The snow was falling lightly in fits and stops. Joe’s bad shoulder was beginning to ache from the long time in the saddle and the pounding he had taken from the attacker in the shed. The frigid cold didn’t help. It hadn’t throbbed so much since he had come home from Boston. He ignored the soreness, and rode on silently behind Meg. The sun was going down soon and they both desperately wanted to find Eric before it got even colder.

“Joe, it’s getting dark. Should we head back? It has to be more than an hour.”

”Not yet. I have to find Eric.” Joe was getting scared. What if Flanagan’s men came back before they found Eric? What if they already had him? Flakes of snow continued falling sporadically from the darkening sky.

Joe dismounted to look closer at the ground. He found himself unable to stand still. He paced nervously around the small rocky clearing, his eyes constantly darting about in order to spot some more tracks in the fading light. The ground was frozen hard and too rocky for any track to be made from a wagon or a hoof or a boot print.

“Meg all the tracks end right here. Where could Andrea have put him? She wouldn’t leave Eric out in the open. It’s too cold. There is nothing here but rocks.”

The accumulating snow would soon mask any tracks.

“Tell me everything she said again. Repeat it all, Joe.” Meg ordered calmly. She was determined to find Eric as much for Joe as for the safety of the child.

”What good is that going to do? “Joe hollered impatiently as he looked up at her on her horse.” Andrea said take care of him and to tell Eric about Hoss…. Then she died. They shot her and she died. Meg, we got to find him. He is only three years old and it’s going to be dark soon. It gonna get colder then too. He must be scared to death.”
”Joe, settle down. Shouting isn’t going to help.” She glanced around the rocky mountainside. “What else did she say? Think Joe. Stay calm. We are going to find him.”

“I’m calm,” Joe said softly, drawing in a deep breath of the frigid air. He exhaled blowing a steamy cloud from his lips. He held out his gloved right hand to Meg. “Look at that hand. Steady as a rock. Just wish I was right-handed.”

She climbed off her horse and stood next to Joe. Meg took both of his hands in hers and squeezed them tightly. “Now, what are we looking for, Joseph.” Meg said softly and calmly looking directly into his eyes. Joe took a deep breath.
”She said that Otis would take of him. Andrea said that Otis Massey would protect Eric. That is crazy. He was her first husband. He died years ago in a cave in of his silver mine. That was long before she and Hoss ever got together.”

Joe moved back to the black horse he was riding and laid his forehead on the horse’s soft warm flank. Joe knew he had to pull himself together. Eric’s life depended on him remaining calm. He had to get his self control back or Eric would surly die.

“Where was the mine Joe? Is it around here?” Meg questioned. Her voice was soft and reassuring. The more agitated Joe was getting the more she forced herself to remain calm. Eric’s life depended on them finding him.

Joe looked up at her and their eyes met. Both of them realized at the same instant what Andrea had done. She had hidden Eric in the Massey silver mine. Joe rubbed the back of his neck and looked around desperately. “Otis showed me years ago, one time when Pa and I came up here to visit when I was a little kid. I can’t remember it was so long ago. It was up on a ridge. It was so long ago Meg.”

“You have to remember!” She said firmly. “Try harder.”

” I was more interested in the mule than in where I was. We stayed up at the mine so late that the sun went down and Pa and Otis and I made camp there rather than heading back down in the dark. Pa was afraid we would ride off a cliff if we went back to his little cabin. The house is there now.” He paused remembering the men setting the house on fire before they rode out to look for Eric. “Where Andrea’s house was,” he corrected himself.

”Think Joe. I bet that is where Andrea hid Eric. In the Massey mine.”

Joe rubbed his aching shoulder and tried to think. It was getting colder and colder and they could see their breath.

“Think, Joe. You can do it!”

He walked around in a circle looking up and down the hills to the mountain slopes. The weak yellow sun was setting. Joe looked toward the east and suddenly the outcropping and the shape of the hills looked familiar. There was a vaguely familiar slant to the rocks. “The four round boulders!” Otis had shown him the four round boulders. One was huge, the second and the third boulders were close and the fourth the smallest. Joe remembered saying to Otis that they were just like his Pa and the three Cartwright boys. Otis had said to call that small rock Little Joe.

“That way. That way!” He pointed and shouted excitedly.” Where we lost her tracks the first time. It was down there. I remember the way the rocks looked when the sun was setting. Andrea hid Eric and then doubled back to make more tracks so if Chadwick’s riders were tracking her they wouldn’t stop. She wasn’t going to let anything happen to her son.”
They climbed back into his horses and galloped down the rocky trail back to the fork in the trail where they had seen the two dead men and the tramped down brush.

Joe set his sights on a place up ahead where three rocks leaned together. “That’s it, Meg. That’s the entrance to Otis Massey’s mine!”

 

Chapter 12

 

Meg urged her horse up alongside Joe’s and was about to voice an idea about going up the hill. Joe drew up on his reins and held up his gloved left hand in an abrupt gesture for silence. Joe had heard something and seen something move among the bare brush ahead. He started to reach for his rifle, and then froze. Meg saw something moving down at the edge of the cliff, a flicker of a shadow. Holding their breath they listened

They heard a high pitch wail from off the trail.

Joe and Meg turned in the direction of the sound.

“Joe, I hear something too. Be still.” They pulled up their horses.

“It’s a child crying.” Joe exclaimed. Maybe they really had found Eric.

”Where is it coming from?”

”I can’t tell. It sounds like it is coming from inside those rocks.” Joe pointed to an outcropping. How could a child get inside the hill?

”Eric! Eric! Come here!” Joe bellowed.” Eric!” His voice echoed off the hills.

There was a rustling in the bushes that blocked the hidden entrance of the mine. “Meg, stay clear and cover me.” She held up the rifle as Joe slid off Cochise and drew his pistol. He pushed aside the branches and sitting in a crack in the rocks was his nephew sobbing and choking. He saw silver bearded Flanagan holding Eric. We were waiting for you Cartwright.”

”Flanagan?” Joe gasped staring at the man who had tried to kill him and his family in Boston.

“Did you think I died at sea? That I am at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean? Or were you one of the people who thought I was living in Europe?” Eric whimpered and squirmed in the man’s grasp.

”Let the boy go,” Joe demanded. He took a cautious step closer.

”Not until I get what I came here for, Cartwright. Where is the trunk?”

”What trunk?” Joe had no idea what Flanagan was talking about. All he wanted was to get his nephew out of Flanagan’s grasp.

“The trunk Danny Lowell hid here.” Flanagan glared at Joe Cartwright.

“Don’t hurt the boy I don’t know anything about a trunk. I just want my nephew.” Joe stepped forward cautiously.

The desperate bearded man demanded, “Don’t move! Or I will kill the boy.” Flanagan warned. He held a gun against Eric’s blonde head.

“I should have killed you in Boston, when I had the chance, you son of a bitch,” Joe growled taking another step closer to the pair. He was now inside the mine entrance and only a few steps away from Flanagan. He somehow hoped to wrench the boy out of Flanagan’s grip.

“Joe! Don’t!” Meg screamed. She held the rifle up but there was no way she was going to be able to get a clear shot at Flanagan and not hit either Joe or Eric.

Meg turned to see Ka-Pusta ride up on a skinny horse. Miss Barbara rode next to him. “Give boy to Cartwright!” Ka-Putsta ordered. “Let boy go!”

”Ka-Pusta! Eric shrieked. He recognized the Indian his mother had been protecting on the Massey Ranch. “Ka-Pusta!”

Flanagan turned and shot at Ka-pusta. The sound of the shot echoed loudly off the rocky walls of the mine. The Indian was hit and fell bleeding in the snow.

“No!” Joe Cartwright bellowed.

Hearing Joe’s shout, Flanagan swung round firing his gun blindly in Cartwright’s direction. The bullet ricocheted off something metallic with a ping and hit the mine wall. Splintered rock shrapnel exploded hitting Joe. He felt a stab of pain in his wrist and his gun fell from his hand as he tried to duck behind a boulder.

In the fading sun light it was too dark to see where the pistol lay in the shadowy mine entrance, Joe leapt at Flanagan and they all tumbled to the hard, cold ground. As they struggled, Flanagan desperately trying to keep his gun to Eric’s head while Joe grasped the older man’s wrist with a desperate grip. He had to get Eric from Flanagan or die trying.

“Let him go!” Joe bellowed.

Eric shrieked “Noooo!”

“Cartwright, I’m going to enjoy watching you finally die!” Flanagan growled in Joe’s ear.

Flanagan’s free arm locked round Eric’s neck while Joe frantically pulled at it. The boy was gasping for air. Flanagan was the huskier of the two and he struggled to pull free, but Joe was younger and stronger. He doggedly hung on, never losing his grip on his opponent’s gun hand. In the gloomy mine it was difficult to see, but Joe felt Flanagan’s hot breath on his face and knew that if he relaxed for just a moment his nephew could be dead. Then Flanagan’s right arm dropped and the gun was between their bodies. Joe was aware of Meg shrieking his name, but all of his concentration was totally on Flanagan, trying to keep the gun barrel pointed away from his own body and wrench Eric free from Flanagan’s hold.

A shot exploded. The sound echoed loudly throughout the mine. Sand and gravel sifted down and shifted off the ceiling. Flanagan dropped Eric and they all fell knocking Joe to the rocky, cold floor of the cave. Eric was caught in between his captor and his uncle in a tangle of flailing arms and legs. Flanagan had collapsed heavily on top of Joseph with Eric squashed between them. Only the ragged last gasping breaths of Flanagan broke the ensuing silence as he bled to death on the floor of the Massey mine.

“Flanagan is dead,” moaned a weak voice from the shadows.” Son of Ben Cartwright go tell the truth. Ka-pusta did not make war. Flanagan lied.”

From where he lay on the mine floor Joe realized that Ka-pusta had saved both him and Eric. The Indian had managed to crawl from where he was mortally wounded and shoot Flanagan as he struggled with Joe. With his last bit of strength Ka-pusta had shot Flanagan and saved Eric Cartwright’s life. Ka-Pusta was crumpled on the ground; a grunt of satisfaction escaped the man’s lips as he saw Joe sit up.

Then Chief Ka-Pusta closed his eyes for the last time.

Joe picked up Eric and held him close.

Both Flanagan and Ka-Pusta were obviously dead. “Joe?” Meg said, her voice torn with emotion. “Ka-pusta always said he was innocent and no one believed him,”

Miss Barbara wept. The tears streamed down her face as held the Indian’s bloody body in her arms.

“Miss Barbara, are you all right.

“ Ka-pusta is dead.” She whispered looking up at Meg and Joseph. “He is dead.”

“He saved Joe and Eric,” Meg said as she stood close to them.

They heard the sound of Indians horses before they arrived. Even so, they were all startled, as four bedraggled braves seemed to melt out of the bushes and into the small clearing. One minute they were alone, the next they were surrounded by a circle of men, two held bows with arrows notched and ready on the string. The other two held old battered army rifles.

At another silent signal the remaining braves lowered their weapons. One man stepped forward and whispered in soft Paiute to Miss Barbara. She nodded and said some thing in return, gesturing at Joe holding Eric. Their leader looked at Joe and nodded once. Then Miss Barbara gestured to Meg and the brave nodded again. He reached out and put his right hand on Miss Barbara’s shoulder and then turned his back on them and walked over to his horse. He leaped onto the stallion’s back and shouted some orders to the other three Indians.

Two men picked up Ka-Pusta’s body and put it over the back of his horse. The braves then began to leave, melting away as silently as they had come. The whole incident had taken less than ten minutes, but they had been the longest ten minutes of Joe’s life. Ka-Pusta had died saving Eric. The Indian had sacrificed his life to kill Flanagan and save Joe and Eric Cartwright.

Joe wiped a shaky hand across his bruised forehead and let a low sigh escape his lips. Holding Eric close in his embrace Joe wrapped his other arm around Meg’s shoulder. “We got him!” she sighed with relief.

“Joe, is the baby all right?” Miss Barbara asked looking up.

Joe nodded. Suddenly he realized that his left wrist was burning and looked down at his arm. He was bleeding from where the shattered rock had hit him. He had to put Eric down on the ground for a minute.

“Joe!” Eric wailed. Shivering he reaching his arms up to his uncle. “Joe!”

Joe removed his coat and bent down to the child gently wrapping the child in it. “Hey, Sweetie, it’s all right. Uncle Joe’s got ya.” Joe cradled the boy tightly and started walking to the horses. Eric was cold and soaked through and smelled awful.

“Mama!” the boy shrieked. He franticly tried to climb out of his uncle’s arms and go back to the cave. His mother had told him to stay there. She would come back for him and he had to do what she had told him. He was a very good child and always listened obediently.

Joe had no idea what had happened here and tried to sooth the sobbing child. He was so thankful to hold the child once again. He held him tightly as the boy tried to fight with him and go back where he had been found. Eric kicked and hit Joe with his little fists. He wailed hysterically trying to go back where his mother had told him he must wait. The boy thought that she may never find him if he wasn’t there.

Joe could hardly hold on to the boy he was flailing so hard. He drew his jacket closer to Eric and pulled it tightly around him trapping his flailing arms and kicking legs until the boy became limp with exhaustion and Joe could hang on to him. As the boy calmed down a little and stopped fighting and punching at him, Joseph eased up his grasp on the wide-eyed, frightened little boy.

“Hush sweetie. I’m taking you home now. “ Joe smoothed his hand over Eric’s tear stained cheek.

He reached out and clung to his uncle and softly called for his mother. Joe could feel him shivering in his arms. “Mama!” the exhausted boy bleated desperately like a lost lamb.

Eric blinked, and tears ran down his filthy face to his neck. Joe gently wiped them away with his hand. “Don’t cry, Eric. Please, don’t cry.” He drew the boy to him and smoothed his tangled blond hair.

”Let me hold him while you get the horses, Joe. Meg stretched out her arms. Eric started to cry anew and clung ever tighter to his uncle. The boy put his arms around his neck, and buried his face against him.

“It’s over, Eric. You’re safe.” Joe repeated.

“Joe is he all right? Is he hurt? “ Miss Barbara tried to touch the boy and see if he had any injuries but the boy wouldn’t allow her to come closer. She had found the blue paisley shawl crumbled on the ground and wrapped it over the boy.

Joe stepped closer to Meg and tried to hand her the wailing little boy. His nephew wouldn’t let go of him. The boy clung tightly to his shirt and cried his heart out. “Eric, sweetie, let go. I got you. I’m taking you home with me right now.” Joe said gently. He was cold without his coat but it didn’t matter. Nothing really much else mattered at that moment. They had found Eric.

”Just hold on to him, Joe. He’s not going to go to anyone but you. He’s too scared.” Meg patted Eric’s back. The boy flinched at her gentle touch and clung tighter to his uncle.

Joe nodded. “Check if he is ok while I hold him. He was out there an awful long time.”

“I think he’s just cold and hungry and his pants are very wet. He doesn’t look injured. Nothing is bleeding. Lets bring him back to the house clean him up.” Meg too suddenly realized that the house must have burned completely by now. She shuddered thinking for an instant of her girl hood home burned to the ground at the Circle D Ranch. Meg quickly pushed that image out of her mind, just as she had done all her life.

Barbara touched the boy’s icy cold hands. “Get him inside quickly Joseph. He’s freezing.” She took off her soft woolen scarf and wrapped it around Eric’s neck.

“Do you want to eat something or have a drink?” Meg asked the boy softly. The boy clung to Joe and didn’t answer. She reached into her pocket for the remainder of the sandwich she had from her lunch on the road up with Joe. It seemed like years had passed since she and Joe were racing each other on horseback that morning.

Eric wouldn’t take the sandwich from Meg. The boy still hadn’t said a word besides shrieking for his mother. Concerned, Joe shifted Eric around and tried to see his nephew’s face. The boy was staring blankly into space. His blue eye looked vacantly ahead.

“You are safe, sweetie. Uncle Joe is taking you home “ Joe whispered in the boy’s ears and smoothed his hand over the child’s back. Under his hand Joe could feel Eric, rigid with fear and wound tight as a spring slowly relax and mold himself to his uncle’s chest.

He stood for a moment and took a deep breath of the cold air. He had found his beloved nephew and now they had to get home to the Ponderosa.

“Meg, lets ride out.”
”Wait, Joe. Your wrist.” She reached into his pocket for his bandana and wrapped it tightly around his injured wrist.

“I want to get out of here as soon as we can. They may come back in the morning as soon as it’s daylight and I want us long gone by then. We don’t know how many there were or how many they will come back with.”

They put Andrea’s body on one of the dead out law’s horses and Barbara mutely held the reigns as they rode back to the Massey ranch as the snow started to fall again.

 

Chapter 13

 

Meg, holding the rifle across her saddle led the way back down the trail to the ranch. Joe, clutching Eric followed and Miss Barbara leading the horse with Andrea’s body pulled up the rear.

They were very surprised that the fire had not burned the house completely. Half the huge house was still standing charred next to some blackened rubble when they rode back into the Massey Ranch with Eric. Meg shuddered as she saw the charred ruins. The whole place was ominously quiet and dark.

Meg spotted the faint glow of a lantern in the undamaged kitchen. Red had bandaged Pierce’s injuries and they were trying to stay warm and dry in the remaining smoky shell of the house. Red had found gathered some food from the pantry and made some cheese sandwiches and hot coffee for them.

The three chilled adults gladly accepted the food and attempted to warm themselves. Eric clung mutely to his uncle. Any attempt Joe made to set the child down was in vain so he struggled to eat with one hand and hold Eric at the same time. The boy refused any food but did take some sips of water from a cup Joe held up to his lips.

“We have to … to attend to Andrea and Doc, Joe. We can’t leave them lying there. “ Red pleaded.

”Do what you need to do Red. I have to get Eric inside and I want us out of here in as soon as we can.

“But Joe…It’s dark and the snow.” Pierce started.

“We are leaving Red. Winslow go help him. Now,’ Joe ordered. He felt terrible for the boy. Doctor Smith had raised him after Indians killed his family and Andrea had been like family to him also. “We have to think about the women and Eric. Maybe a half hour. Not one minute more and we need to ride out.”

Meg went into the pillaged house with Barbara and tried to gather some clean warm clothes for Eric and supplies for their journey. Joe tried to clean the boy up while Pierce watched from the shadows for any signs that the men had returned. Then he and Red tried to bury Doc Smith and Andrea.

“I think they are all dead or rode off.” Pierce said about the outlaws. “They never found what they came for.”
”We can’t be sure, so be quick and be careful,” Meg warned.

The ground was frozen and there was no way they could dig a decent grave but Red and Pierce did their best using a pick ax and shovel from Massey’s mining tools. The dug the graves behind the barn where the ground was still a bit thawed out. They covered the new graves with rocks and some straw and gun powder over it hoping that no wild animals or men who were worse than wild animals would disturb them until they could come back and give them a respectful burial.

“We’ll come back when we can and take care of them proper, son. We got to get out of here. “

Red stood for a second looking at the unmarked graves. Tears streamed down his freckled face and he shivered in the icy air. “Let’s go. Andrea wouldn’t want anything to ever happen to her little boy.”

“Looks like the snow stopped, at least for now,” Pierce observed as he put his arm around Red’s narrow shoulders. “Let’s go.”

They walked around the front of the barn. Red climbed wearily onto the back of the horse Meg had ridden up to Elm Grove. He held his rifle across his knees and watched for Flanagan’s men. Pierce swung onto the back of his own horse. Red had done a good job tending his wound and it didn’t hurt too badly.” Let’s go,” he declared.

Meg looked at Joe as she and Miss Barbara climbed the wagon. “Home, Joe?” she asked as she picked up the reigns. She looked up at Joe sitting on Cochise clutching Eric in the saddle in front of him.

“Home.” Joe pulled Eric close to him. “Let’s go home.” He kicked his heels into his horse and they set off in the dark towards the Ponderosa.

 

Chapter 14

 

Ben Cartwright was sitting by the roaring fire in the Ponderosa. It was the first time he had dressed and come down stairs all day and was sipping some broth that Hop Sing had made him for his dinner. The dining room was too cold and lonely and too far from the warmth of the fire. Ben felt achy and awful, worse than he had felt in a long time. He knew he had a fever and his throat was sore and scratchy as if he had swallowed a cactus. The wind was still gusting and snow had started to drift up near the barn.

Casey Newkirk had come in earlier in the day to tell Ben that the hands were all accounted for in the bunkhouse. A few of the men were sick and lying about in their bunks. Hop Sing had sent hot food out to them. Hays had made sure that enough wood had been cut and all the stock was brought in to sheltered areas before the snow hit. The men were going to run rope lines between the buildings as it looked like they were in for a bad blizzard on top of all the illness.

“Do you feel any better Mr. Ben?” Casey asked as he warmed himself by the fire.

“Not really Casey, I slept most of the day. I should be better tomorrow. Tell your Pa that the men should just do what needs done to tend the stock. Nothing more. I don’t want anyone riding out and getting lost in the storm. And too many of them are sick to push very hard.”

”Yes, sir. Is Joe back yet?” Young Casey loved Joe like the brother he had lost.

Ben shook his head. “Not to worry Casey, he’ll be fine. He probably is staying up in Elm Grove with Andrea and Eric for a few days and he will come back next week. He wouldn’t be fool hardy and go out in this bad weather.”

“Mr. Ben, I forgot to tell you. Sam told me when I brought that load of wood to the school that they all was sick too by Mr. Adam’s house. He looked peaked too and the teacher was sending him home at lunch.”

Ben sighed. Not only was Joe away from home, now he was hearing that Adam’s family was coming down with whatever this fever was. He was too sick to risk riding into town to find out how they were doing or help them out with a storm blowing down on them from the mountains.

 

Chapter 15

 

The long ride back to the Ponderosa was a cold and silent one for all of them. Each was lost in his own thoughts. Joe held Eric on the saddle in front of him. He had wanted the boy to ride in the wagon with Miss Barbara and Meg but his nephew got hysterical and clung to Joe every time his uncle tried to hand him to anyone else.

Gradually, the flurries got heavier and thicker. The white frost on the ground changed to billowing snow as they rode on towards Virginia City.

Hour by hour the snow grew heavier. Raw endurance and persistence was their only hope for making it to the Ponderosa through the deepening snow. A gusty wind blasting from the slopes had cast the snow into treacherous deep drifts, and all the horses struggled mightily. At least, most of the time, the wind was blowing from behind them.

The horse’s warm breath was frozen into icy frost across their noses and chests. Pierce and Red took turns breaking trail through the deep powder either on horseback or leading their horses behind them. Joe, holding Eric followed on Cochise. Meg and Barbara pulled up the rear with the wagon following the trail the horses had forged.

“Should we stop and make camp? “Miss Barbara asked. She was not unused to staying out of doors no matter what the weather with Ka-Pusta.

”No, Meg hollered.” We may never get out of here once we stop and what if someone is still left to follow us?”

Joe knew there was no way Eric could survive a night outside no matter how well they made camp. They needed to forge on toward home.

 

Chapter 16

 

Joe’s exhausted mind became aware that the horse’s pace was quickening. How long had they had been riding? It could have been minutes or hours. It felt like an eternity in a frozen hell. Joe shook his head trying to stay alert and drag his mind away from Andrea’s death. Eric had been still for a while but the fury of the storm was increasing. The skies had darkened again and they couldn’t see the stars or the moon. The snow was falling steadily now.

Uncontrollable shivering shook Eric’s little body. Joe held him closer and wrapped his coat tighter around his nephew. “We’re going home, Sweetie. Hang on. Soon you will be at the Ponderosa with Grand pa.” He heard no sound from the boy except an occasional whimper.

“Joe, are you managing? Is Eric ok?” Meg called from the wagon. She had to scream to be heard above the hoof beats and the groaning and creaking of the wagon. The gusty wind blew her words away from Joe as she urged the wagon team forward. To Joe she seemed to be talking from far, far away.

A gust of wind blew stinging icy snow into Joe’s face. Cochise nickered and stumbled in the deepening drifts.” Easy, Cooch. Just a bit more.” Joe choked. He struggled to hold onto the reigns and keep his arm around Eric inside his coat.

”Joe, we are almost at turn off for the ranch road, do you want me to try to hold Eric.” Meg called again from the wagon. She prayed the wagon wouldn’t get stuck but so far the men had been able to break a trail.
“No, we are almost home. I can do it. Don’t think we should stop again.” He insisted and hugged Eric tighter. The boy snuggled into the warmth of his uncle’s chest and moaned in his sleep.

Through the blowing snow Cartwright could see the cluster of frosted trees and snow capped fence post that he recognized as the beginning of the Ponderosa boundary. “The fence line, Meggie. Almost home!” He shouted from his horse.

Joe looked up through the icy whiteness searching for another landmark to make sure they were not getting lost in the increasing snow. Joe felt a surge of relief with the first glimpse of the golden lights of the ranch house through the blowing snow and the dark shadows of the tall bare trees.

He could see the faint glow of yellow light in a distance. Joe knew that glow was the lamps of his house. “We are almost home.” He said to Eric as Joe clutched at his coat, wrapping it tighter around the child. Home. Now everything would finally be all right.

 

Chapter 17

 

Ben had dozed off next to the massive stone hearth when he heard voices and the clatter of horses in the snowy yard. He looked up at he grandfather clock near the door way and saw that it was close to midnight? Who could be outside in the snowstorm? All the men in the bunkhouse would have turned in and certainly no visitors would be riding out this late in a storm.

Ben heard boots stomping off snow on the porch. The heavy front door swung open and his youngest son, stumbled inside covered with snow.

Ben quickly went over to him. “Joseph, Good to see you son! I didn’t expect you for a few days…” Ben started but taking one look at his son he knew something was horribly wrong.
Joe closed the door and looked at his father with a strange surprised look. “Pa?” He said hoarsely.
”You look frozen son. Let me get you some dry things. “The door swung open again and a woman covered in snow stepped inside. She turned and looked at them. “Joe, how are you managing?” She stomped the snow off her boots and started removing her coat.

Joe nodded silently.

“Barbara? “The last person Ben Cartwright ever thought he would see coming through the front door of his home was Miss Barbara of the Altamont Saloon. Ben reached out and helped her off with her coat.

“Benjamin, Thank you.” She said.

“Who’s out there? Who else did you bring home with you?” Ben reached to put his arm around Joe’s shoulder, and was shocked by Joe’s involuntary sigh and a whimper from deep inside his coat.

“Meg Thackery. Pierce Winslow and Red are putting up the horses and the wagon. Casey and some of the men from the bunkhouse heard us arrive and are helping. We needed to get into the house right away.” He was strangely hunched over with one arm wrapped around his chest.

“Joe, what’s wrong? Why would you ride all the way here in this storm?” he asked quickly seeing how Joe was holding his snow covered coat tightly pulled across his chest. A closer look at his young son told him that Joe was tired beyond the point of exhaustion. There were lines of fatigue and pain etched onto his filthy face. “Joe what happened. Are you hurt son?”

“Not really Pa, just real worn out. We ran into some bad trouble up at Elm Grove, Pa. Very bad. ” Joe opened his coat and his father saw Eric inside his uncle’s coat. The blonde boy was sound asleep with his arms wrapped tightly around Joe’s chest. “Pa, Andrea’s dead. Flanagan’s men killed her. They wanted something Danny Lowell hid up there years ago.”

Ben reached out and took his grandson from Joe’s grasp and hugged the sleeping boy close. “What are you talking about, Joe?” He stared in disbelief.

The door swung open and a cold blast of icy wind blew snow into the entrance as Red and Meg Thackery helped Pierce stumble into the house. As well as Red had bandaged him; the knife wound had started to bleed again the last few miles of the trip.

The noise startled little Eric and he awakened. He stiffened in his grandfather’s arms and started to shriek and call “Joe! Joe! Joe!” Eric kicked and flailed his arms and kicked so wildly that Ben had a hard time holding onto the little boy.

”Pa let me take him back until he calms down.” Joe said softly and pulled the child back into his weary arms.

Ben’s heart was breaking to see the little boy in such distress. No matter what, Eric always sought out his grandfather first every time he came to the Ponderosa. Now he was desperately trying to get away from the man who adored him more than his own life. Something horrible had happened to change the husky blond boy so drastically, so fast.

 

Chapter 18

 

When the pair reached the kitchen, Joe sat on a wooden chair and held Eric as Meg began to remove the boy’s boots. As long as he was held in Joe’s arms, the boy allowed her to undress him. As soon as Joe tried to let him go or put him down, the boy screamed hysterically.

“He needs a bath real bad. He stinks and he must be cold through.” Joe nodded. “We can’t let him stay this way.

“He’ll get sick. Maybe we can dunk him quick. “ Meg said calmly.
Hop Sing brought up a copper washtub and hot water and between them they managed to strip the fouled clothes from the screaming child and wash him as quickly as they could.

“Mr. Cartlight very sick while you gone, Joe. Hands in bunk house very sick too.” Hop Sing tried to soap the squirming child as Joe held onto him.

It took all three adults to hang on to the little boy as he swung his arms and legs and tried to get away. They managed to scrub the little boy as quickly as they could dry him and put one of Joe’s old flannel shirts on Eric as a nightshirt.

Eric hung on to Joe with all his strength and Joe held him close wrapped up in a quilt. Then Joe carried him up the stairs with Meg following him a few steps behind.

As he climbed the familiar steps, Joe’s eyes filled with tears at the thought of Andrea lying dead in his arms and the ordeal that Eric had survived. “Guess we won’t ever know for sure what happened up there. Meg you stay downstairs and get something to eat and I’ll stay up here with Eric and try to get him to sleep.”

”Are you sure, Joe?” She really only wanted to be with Joe but she would never admit that aloud to anyone.

He nodded wearily as they entered his bedroom. “Pierce needs some help with that knife wound. And Pa is going to need help with Red. Doctor Smith raised him, Meg. He was like Red’s father… and Miss Barbara. We’ll be ok up here.” He sat down on his bed with Eric weeping tiredly into his neck. The sound he made was painful to hear, like a wounded animal.

Meg leaned over and kissed Joe’s forehead gently. She rested her hand on Eric’s back and patted him gently through the soft plaid flannel. Her hand lightly brushed over the bandage on Joe’s wrist.

”I love you, Meg. I couldn’t have got them all home without you.” As Joe’s back came into contact with the head board, he hissed in pain as he leaned on the bruises he got in the fight with Flanagan’s men. Meg quickly put a pillow behind him and smoothed his hair.

”Go downstairs and get some food. I’ll be down when Eric falls asleep.” Joe directed her.

Reaching up, Meg traced the line of his lips, brushing them only lightly with her fingertips, careful not to hurt the split lip from the fight.

He held out his scraped hand, and Meg clasped it gently.

“Joseph, come downstairs and let me clean out that wound” Ben looked at the filthy bandage wrapped around his son’s injured wrist. Joe attempted to move away from Eric and stand up but Eric refused to release his grip on his uncle. “Sweetie, I’ll be right back,” Joe assured his nephew as he pried loose the clinging fingers.

“Noooo!” The boy wept and hung onto his uncle hysterically. He had cried so much his voice was hoarse Eric just continued to cry, back heaving, breath short, racking sobs. Joe hugged him closer.

“It will be all right for now. You can do it tomorrow Pa.”

Meg responded firmly before Ben could answer.

“You can’t leave it that way. It will get infected. I’ll fix the bandage right up here, Joe.” Meg insisted. Meg could see his shirt was blood stained from when Joe held Andrea as she died. She went over to his dresser and pulled out a clean shirt for him and quietly held it up. Joe nodded tiredly and rested his cheek on Eric’s head.

Ben was pleased that the young woman thought so quickly and took charge. “She is right Joseph. Come with me and we’ll get what you need.

Joe didn’t respond at first then he nodded wearily his eyelids drooping. He was too tired to do much more than sink his aching body back onto the pillows and pull the weeping boy to his chest. “Looks like I’m not going any where downstairs fast.” He slipped his hand over Meg’s and squeezed it in his.”Pa will get you the things you need.” Meg touched Joe’s shoulder with a tender hand and started to leave the room.

“Thanks Meg,” he said softly. He turned his face up to hers and she gave him a soft kiss on his wind burned cheek. Meg gently patted Joe’s shoulder and smoothed Eric’s hair. Then she followed Ben out of the room.

Eric whimpered in his sleep and Joe stroked his nephew’s soft straight blonde hair. “Go back to sleep, sweetie” The little boy opened his eyes and saw Joe’s familiar face and hid his face in his uncle’s chest. “Mama” he sobbed hoarsely. Only gradually did he relax and release his ferocious grip. Joe rubbed his hand over the bruise Eric’s clutching hand had made on his forearm. The little handprint would be there for weeks.

Ben Cartwright still couldn’t quite absorb what was going on in his house in the middle of the night. He led Meg downstairs to help her gather the bandages and get her hot water.

“You look surprised that I’m not too squeamish to take care of Joe, Mr. Cartwright? “ she looked at him.

“A bit. And I’m more surprised that Joseph didn’t give you a hard time.”

“He knows that I am right and he’s too worn out to argue. You can’t ever imagine what went on there, Mr. Cartwright. You can’t ever imagine.”

 

Chapter 19

 

As Meg and the rest continued the horrible story Ben pressed steepled fingers to his lips. “Dear God, I almost lost them all”. He thought. Thankfully they had come home, just not Andrea. He prayed silently as he heard how Andrea died and they found Eric. He had totally forgotten how sick he had been and tried to hear what had happened to his family.

Barbara sat quietly on the settee holding Ben’s hand. He wrapped his arm around her and held her close. In the blue chair, young Red Robinson sat silently, his head bowed with grief as Pierce and Meg pieced together the awful events of the last day.

Red sat silently trying not to hear Meg and Pierce telling Ben the horrible story as the sat in front of the hearth. Out side the wind blew angrily and icy snow rattled against the windows. Red shivered and ate some of the hot food that Hop Sing had made for them.

“It’s a good thing you got back here when you did. The storm is getting much worse.” Ben said.

Pierce Winslow looked at Ben Cartwright and started to tell what happened at the Massey Ranch. “Ben, it was mighty bad. The must have had a half dozen or more men. We did the best we could but they killed Doctor Smith and Andrea.”

“They set fire to most of the place. They wanted something that was hidden on the ranch and Andrea said she didn’t even know what it was. It was something Danny Lowell put there years ago. She had hidden Eric and they found him and tried to get Andrea to trade Danny’s things for Eric. Ben, they killed her and if wasn’t for Ka-Pusta, they would have killed Eric too.” Pierce added. “And Joe.”

“Danny Lowell?” Ben couldn’t believe after all these long years, Danny or Flanagan or Chadwick would still be causing them troubles. The deeds from the Cherry Creek business would take years before they were totally straightened out.
”Ka-Pusta got Flanagan but it was too late for him. He’s dead, “ Barbara whispered softly. Ben put his arm around her and pulled her closer to him and she sobbed uncontrollably. She had been his very dear friend for many years and he needed to comfort her. Ben Cartwright was one of the few people who knew the truth about her relationship with Ka-Putsta.

Ben had never before felt so helpless. He could do nothing while Pierce tore himself apart telling the rest of the story. They all could hear Eric whimpering pitiably upstairs. When Ben went up to see if he could do something, Eric got even more distraught. As exhausted as he was, Joe shooed his father away and insisted he could calm the boy down better alone, in the dark. Ben went back downstairs to the battle weary guests in the front room. Every corner of his home was filled with wounded souls and Ben could do nothing more than listen to their horrible tales.

“They are all dead Mr. Cartwright and there was not a damn thing we could have done.” He turned back around, propped his elbows onto his knees and lowered his face into his hands. The only sound in the room was the heart broken sobs of Red Robinson as he mourned the death of Doctor Smith and the loss of the only family he remembered. Meg stood next to the boy and patted his back as he wept. She knew all too well what it was like to loose a family to a murderous attack.

 

Chapter 20

 

By the next morning the snow had stopped and the hands who were not laid flat by the fever were trying to dig out paths between the out buildings and tend to the chores and the livestock. Hop Sing had cooked huge quantities of food and was scurrying about tending to the sick men and all the unexpected guests.

“Do I bother you?” Meg’s eyes flashed as she looked at Ben Cartwright sitting by the hearth. She poured the coffee into his cup.

He picked it up and stared right back at her. She had put on the soft violet wool skirt that she had in her saddlebag. Ben noticed she had borrowed one of Joe’s shirts. The shirt was blue and white striped and fit her loosely. Meg had folded back the cuffs. The color made her eyes look more indigo. Her sunny hair was combed smoothly and pinned neatly up on top of her head showing off her slender neck.

“No, I find you very smart and extremely attractive Meg. I can see why my son is so drawn to you.” He took a sip of the steaming brew and swallowed slowly, never taking his eyes off her. He had hardly slept the night before and was feeling more achy and feverish than he had the day before. He refused to give in to it and was hoping a big cup of strong coffee would revive him enough for what ever he had to face that day.

“But?” she countered.

”What do you mean?”

“I don’t understand what you are so disturbed about Mr. Cartwright. What bothers you so much about my relationship with Joe?” Meg favored Joe’s father with her most beguiling smile. She had no intention any serious discussion with Mr. Cartwright if she could avoid it.

“What do I mean?” Ben floundered.” I just don’t want my son buying trouble or getting hurt.” Ben had the desperate need to protect his youngest child from any more problems or heartache than the last days had brought. He pointed an authoritative finger at the young woman.

Ben didn’t mean to be so harsh or abrupt but the man was tired and not feeling well. The shock of what had happened at the Massey Ranch had destroyed any shred of diplomacy the rancher had. He found himself face to face with a young woman who had clearly avoided spending anytime with him in the past but had bravely stood shoulder to shoulder with his son in saving little Eric Cartwright and he was confused.

“Well, for one thing. Do you love my son?” The question echoed off the walls of the room. Ben’s voice was a bit louder and much harsher than he had intended. Meg was caught completely off guard by the intensity of his reaction.

“Mr. Cartwright, sir, I’ll have you know that I would never, ever hurt Joe or let anything happen to him. Ever. Or to Eric either. Neither of them.”

”Do you love my son?” Ben repeated more softly. He couldn’t understand why this young woman couldn’t answer his simple question.

Meg’s eyes welled up. “More than I can say,” she whispered. “I don’t know what I would have done yesterday if those men had … if anything happened to Joe. “

Meg turned silently and stared at the fire trying to collect herself. The light from the blazing fire cast a golden glow over her pretty face. She started shivering noticeably. She spread her two hands in front of her trying to get warm.

All Meg could think of was how she always tried to live her life; if you don’t own anything, you can’t loose anything. No bonds, no attachments to anyone place or person. She would not allow Ben Cartwright to see how upset she still was by their ordeal. She would not let him see how shaken she was at almost loosing Joe. Meg had allowed herself to become too attached to Joe Cartwright and now she almost lost him. She could see her hands shaking as she held them to the warmth of the fire.

Pierce came into the room and interrupted their conversation. “Ben, I thank you for your hospitality but I really want to get going home. The snow has stopped and I think I should head out. I don’t want to leave Bonnie and the children so long. They don’t even know where I am.” Hop Sing had made him put his arm in a sling to take some of the strain of his wounded shoulder.

”Pierce, stay one more night. It’s too late and too snowy to start out now. And let that knife wound rest up a bit.”
”Guess you are right Ben. I’m going to go out to the barn and see to the horses. Red is out there and I don’t think he should be alone.” He put on his coat and hat and walked out the front door.

Meg was relieved not to have to say anymore to Mr. Cartwright. He still scared her dreadfully. He always had. She wanted to come upstairs and see how Joe and Eric were doing, especially Joe.

She took a deep breath and scrubbed her hand across her eyes.” I have to go upstairs and check on Joe and your grandson. That bandage on Joe’s wrist really needs to be changed.” She walked silently past Ben and headed up the stairs.

Ben Cartwright stared at her. She wasn’t going to dismiss him so easily, especially right here in his own home. This conversation was not going to end so abruptly and she was not going to escape his probing so easily. “I’ll go up with you.”

 

Chapter 21

 

The sound of voices in the hallway and the squeaking of the hinges as his bedroom door opened woke him up. When Joe’s vision cleared and he realized that he had fallen asleep sitting up against the headboard. Eric was still hanging on to his arm, his right shoulder was sore and he had no circulation on that side. He tried to pull his arm out of the boys grasp and not wake him up. As Joe tried to turn slightly an involuntary groan escaped his lips from the ache in his side and the bruises on his back.

Joe caught the sight of Ben sitting silently in the chair by the side of his bed. Meg Thackery stood by Ben’s side watching Joe. She smiled affectionately as he looked at her. He was comforted to see Meg and to see his father’s face. He never had seen his father look so grim.

Joe tried to sit up and he moaned as the bed creaked. Ben instantly reached over to his son. “Joseph? Are you awake?” He asked hoarsely.

“Pa, help me out. My arm is stiff and I don’t want to wake Eric up.” His arm tingled and throbbed from the weight of the boy hanging on him in his sleep. Ben quietly walked over and gently held Eric while Joe pulled himself free. “Are you all right?”

”Nothing that a hot bath and a shave and some strong coffee wouldn’t help.” He answered hoping he was right. Joe groaned and rolled off the bed and stretched the kinks from his bruised back. He rubbed his bad shoulder and prayed he hadn’t reinjured it again. He looked down and realized that he was still wearing the same filthy clothes he had come back to the Ponderosa wearing.

Meg smiled at him. “Are you all right?”

Joe nodded. She leaned into him and kissed him gently on his bruise cheek.

”Do you think Clem Foster would send a posse up there, Pa? To Elm Grove?”

Ben shook his head. “Not in this weather. It stopped snowing but the roads and all the trails are very bad. The high passes are filled in. It’s too dangerous.” Ben coughed and blew his nose.

“Your father convinced Pierce to stay one more night before he left.” Meg added.

“You look real sick, Pa”

Ben nodded. “I was in bed while you were gone but I’ll be fine.” He may have been saying that he would be fine but he felt terrible. His illness was resurging in full force.

Joe looked down at his nephew sleeping so soundly. Meg stood and tucked the blankets around the boy as gently as she could.

“I love you Meg. We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you,” He took her hand and held it tightly for a minute.

“Pa Ka-Pusta died saving Eric. Make sure everyone knows that. It was Governor Flanagan all the time. Him and Major Chadwick. Ka-Pusta never attacked any settlers or burned any ranches.” Joe told his father.

Meg sucked in her breath knowing that one of the families that had been destroyed by Flanagan was hers. She wished Joe would put his arms around her and hold her for longer but was afraid to say any thing with Mr. Cartwright sitting so near.

“Meg and Miss Barbara told me last night, while you were up here.” Ben explained.

”Miss B. is still here? “

”She wanted to go back to her place in Virginia City this morning. I had Casey and Hays take her in. They’ll see that she gets back into Virginia City safely. And Hay will tell Adam and Kate what happened too and stay there tonight.