Sins of the Father, Sins of the Sons – #2 (by Robin)

Summary:  Part two of Sins of the Father, Sins of the Sons

Word Count:  9500

Sins of the Father, Sins of the Sons

Sinful Sons

Chapter 1

Fall 1858

Nevada Territory

“Hello in the house!” Sheriff Roy Coffee shouted as he rode into the Ponderosa yard. A relatively sober Boris Beck on his shabby dapple-gray gelding, Nate Bonner and two wranglers accompanied him from the Double K Ranch.

Ben Cartwright threw open the door and he and Hoss strode out onto the porch.

“Ben, need some help from your boys on this here posse,” Roy Coffee said as he and the rest of the men rode into the yard of the Ponderosa

Ben and Hoss Cartwright stood near the front of the house. “I can spare Hoss, here.” Ben nodded. Only in his early twenties, Hoss had a reputation in the territory for his expert skill at tracking.

”Was hoping you would be able to go along, Hoss. No one is a better tracker than you.”

“What’s going on, Roy?” Ben looked up at the sheriff and the other men.

”Got us some fugitives to bring back for trial. They kilt Mrs. Kelvin, over at the Double K Ranch. Looks like some fellers were trying to steal some horses and she came on them.  Mose Kelvin and his brother are with Clem and the will meet up with us down by the lake.”

“Pa! Let me go too!” Little Joe said excitedly as he raced out of the barn. “Dean and me can help out too.”

Dean Newkirk followed a few steps behind Joe and nodded in enthusiastic agreement. “Let us go, Mr. Cartwright!” The two boys had been faced with three days of rounding up strays and fixing fences and riding a posse seemed far more exciting. Joe was sixteen, almost seventeen and Dean had just turned fifteen and both boys were anxious for some adventure.  Both had long finished attending school and worked full time on the Ponderosa. In the past, they had been told they were too young to ride a posse but now they viewed themselves as full-grown men.

Ben hesitated to give his permission. Dean’s father, Ponderosa foreman Hays Newkirk was with Adam at the timber camp so Ben was in really charge of both boys. Little Joe and Dean were pretty young to be involved with such serious business as pursuing murdering horse thieves. A posse was dangerous and things could go bad quickly.

“Need all the help we can get, Ben.” Roy urged. Hoss was the best tracker in the territory. Dean was a dependable and levelheaded boy. Roy knew Little Joe Cartwright was young and impulsive but he was a good shot and could more than hold his own if it came down to a gunfight.

“Pa, I’ll keep my eye on the two of them, “ Hoss said.

“Please, Pa! We’ll follow whatever the sheriff tells us,” Joe wheedled. Dean nodded in agreement.

Reluctantly Ben nodded “Go get your gear boys.”

”Yes sir!” Joe grinned as he and Dean ran after Hoss to pack up what they needed, saddle up and ride off with the men.

Chapter 2

The objective had been to find and capture the four suspects without any more blood being shed, but the outlaws had chosen not to go peaceably. The posse had chased them for three days over the range from the foothills up to the high country and then back down around the lake shore. Each time they thought they would catch up with the desperados, the posse lost the trail.

“Bet those varmints are heading down to Mexico!” the sheriff said as the rode through the hills trying to pick up the trail. They had started heading south.

“They’ll be free if they cross the boarder to Mexico. No one can touch them there, “ spit Mose Kelvin.

Bonner nodded in agreement. He never thought the posse would take him away from his work this long. Had he known he would have refused Roy Coffee’s invitation or at least taken another bottle of whiskey in his saddlebag.

“How come?” Dean asked Little Joe.

”Mexico is another whole country, you dang fool. That’s where all the bandits head when they don’t want a posse to catch them,” Joe answered. “South to Mexico. That’s where I would go if I was an outlaw. South to Mexico! Ride for the border.”

“You sure better not become no outlaw, Joe,” Hoss warned his little brother.

“Don’t worry, I’m not planning on it,” Joe grinned. “Unless I have some pretty outlaw gal to ride with me. Or two or three outlaw gals.”

”How about one in each town on your way down to Mexico?” Dean laughed. “Eight or ten pretty outlaw gals.”

”Sounds good to me. A dozen outlaw gals and me!” Joe laughed. Even Hoss laughed at the boys’ foolishness as they rode along.

“A dozen pretty outlaw gals and me! “ Joe winked at Dean who laughed harder. “All the way to Mexico!”

”Oh Little Joe!” Dean teased in a squeaky falsetto as they rode along. “I would be your outlaw gal if you brought your handsome friend Dean Newkirk along with you Senior.”

”Oh seniorita Dean you are so pretty!” Hoss laughed despite himself.

 “Dean, don’t let your Pa know you turned into a pretty seniorita or he be mighty disappointed in you, my friend.” Joe laughed as they rode on trying to find the outlaw.

A few miles later, Clem Foster signaled for the posse to pull up.

“Look over there!” Clem Foster pointed to a low place in the trail. He had been riding around so long he felt like he and his horse were one.

“What did you find there, Clem?” Coffee asked his deputy as a frown creased his dusty face. All the men were weary and anxious to catch the outlaws. Clem was stooped down next a muddy section of ground as he answered, not bothering to look up, “There’s fresh horse shoe prints here. Looks like four sets of tracks.”

 ”No body is better than Hoss Cartwright in trailing man or beast,” Sheriff Coffee said. “Go take a look, son.”

Hoss climbed down from his horse. He took off his hat and scratched his head.” Looks to me like one horse is pullin’ up lame. I would think they would be lookin’ for a place right around here to hold up until things cool down.”

And this.” Dean held something up. “Looks like one of their horses threw a shoe.” The boy was proud to have found another clue.

”Bet they got a local feller with them. Some one who knows the back trails,” surmised Hoss Cartwright. “The way they been leading us on a merry chase, looks like they know where they are goin’.”

“They are going to be hung. That’s where they are going,” growled Abe Kelvin.

“Where do you thing they headed?” Kelvin demanded. He was itching to avenge the murder of his wife. He dismounted and personally scrutinized the tracks as he crouched beside Hoss.

“They can’t be too far ahead, Mr. Kelvin, ” Hoss declared as he walked back towards Chubb.

“Looks like they’re headed that way,” Kelvin stated as he pointed to where the sun hung in the sky. “Northeast, right on the Ponderosa” he added.

The posse finally trailed the four men up to the hills of the Ponderosa where they had hidden out in the line shack near the southern side of Cherry Creek.

“We’re right!” Clem declared. From the thicket, the posse could see four horses tied outside the line shack and a plume of smoke spiraling from the chimney.

Joe grinned at Dean “Looks like we found our desperados! Now we get to see some real action.” He checked to see if his pistol was loaded.

Dean nodded excitedly. “Looks like we sure did, Little Joe” as the posse surrounded the line shack.

“Now we’ll get ‘em.” Mose snapped.

“You two keep your heads down,” Hoss warned the boys.

”Fellers! This is Sheriff Roy Coffee. We got you surrounded and you best just turn yourselves in!” Roy shouted to the men in the shack.

The only answer the posse got was a round of bullets from the men inside. Hunkered down behind trees and rocks the posse quickly returned fire. The sound of gunfire echoed in the still afternoon sunshine.

Chapter 3

Before the men consented to give up to the sheriff, one of the accused men had been shot dead. He breathed his last gasping breath as the posse stared at him lying at their feet. The husband of the murdered woman and his brother were all for lynching the other three right on the spot.

“Yeah, hang them fellers now!” agreed Nate Bonner. Bonner was anxious to be done with this whole business and a quick hanging sounded just fine to him. He reached across his saddle and grabbed his rope.

“That’s enough!” Sheriff Coffee said as he stepped in front of the irate men, blocking their access to their prisoners in the process. “I’m the law here abouts, Mose and you’ll do no such thing. These men will get a fair trial back in Virginia City.”

“They ain’t worth spit. I say we hang him here and now!” Mose Kelvin growled. He aimed his shotgun at Roy.

“Save the town the time and money of a trial,” added his brother.

“Them three is entitled to a trial and that is what they are gonna get, boys. Stand back,” Hoss ordered the men arguing with Clem and Roy.

The Kelvins both aimed their pistols at the sheriff and Hoss. “Let us at them. Save the trouble of a trial.

Little Joe Cartwright quickly drew his gun and aimed straight at Mose Kelvin. “Drop it!” the boy ordered. “Listen to what Sheriff Coffee told you to do!”

Mose Kelvin dropped his pistol and nodded to the other men to do likewise.

Roy and his deputy struggled to keep control of the angry men and keep the three accused men safe on the day and a half long trek back to Virginia City. Had it not been for the two Cartwright boys and Dean Newkirk helping them out, the men might have been lynched.

As it worked out, the three were tried legally in Virginia City by the circuit judge. One was hung by Nevada Territory, one was sent to the prison in Yuma for life. The third man was proven not guilty and set free. The poor fellow hadn’t even been within ten miles of the murder and had only joined up with the outlaws days after the murder. He had no idea what he was getting into and was purely innocent.

Had the Kelvins had their way, an innocent man would have been lynched.

Chapter 4

About a week after the trial, Ben sent Hoss and the two boys back up the line shack to clean up the mess the outlaws had made, put new glass in the shot out windows and restock the cupboard. Winter was fast approaching and things had to be in order for the hands tending the herds or for any traveler who might be seeking sanctuary from a snowstorm. Hoss insisted that Joe and Dean cut extra firewood to stack by the front door.  He nailed down some loose boards on the rear wall before they ate their evening meal.

“Want to be heading out early before the weather turns.” Hoss told them.

“Sure got cold. Bet we get snow before the end of the week,” Joe said as he stirred the pot of beans on the fire. The weather was turning frosty and they were glad the windows were tight and the roof over their heads was solid. The wind came whipping down the mountains and the door and windows rattled with each gust.

 That night, as the three tired young men ate their supper they discussed their experience on the posse. “Never thought one feller could bleed so much,” Joe said recalling the dying outlaw moaning on the ground out side the line shack.” He could still see the man gasping for his last breath as his life’s blood puddled in the dirt bellow him.

Little Joe had come back far more subdued from the experience than he’d started out. He was far more touched by the experience than anyone in the family would ever have predicted. It was one thing for Joe to hear the older men tell tall tales around the bunkhouse or hear Roy or Clem talk about outlaws. The violence was far different than defending himself in a Saturday night brawl in the Silver Dollar or shooting a deer while he went hunting. Being shot at by desperate outlaws or see the raw fury of neighbors looking to avenge a loved one’s murder by lynching an untried prisoner was entirely different.

 In those three days riding with the posse, Joe’s view of life and his place in the world shifted. “Don’t think I would have wanted to see a lynching.” The boy said scraping the last of his beans from his tin plate.

“A hanging ain’t a pretty sight. It sounds even worse than it looks, the hollering and the thud and the kicking. Sometimes the fella doesn’t die too quick.” Hoss shook his head at the picture. He had once seen a lynching as a boy and the picture stuck with him his entire life.  “Glad you boys were able to miss out on a lynching.”

 On the other hand, Dean Newkirk had decided to ask Roy Coffee to consider him for the newly funded second deputy’s job.

“Don’t like ranching the way you do, Joe. I want to live in a big town and get paid monthly from the mayor. You get respect when you wear a badge and maybe some day I’ll even be the sheriff. You can chase after cows and break horses if you want, but that is not for me.” Dean looked at Joe and Hoss, the boy’s lake blue eyes shining with enthusiasm.

Joe hated to think of his life long friend leaving the Ponderosa but he knew Dean was unshakable once he set his mind on something. The boy loved order and justice and dreamed big dreams of setting things right in the lawless frontier.

“Roy ain’t retiring so fast,” Hoss laughed. “Don’t be telling Sheriff Coffee you have your sights on his job, Dean.” Hoss pulled off his boots and unrolled his blankets on the one lumpy bed in the shack. “You two lay down on the floor. Biggest man gets the bed.”

“Fattest man gets the bed. Best looking men will sleep on the hard, cold floor,” his little brother quipped. “Don’t think you should wait on being the sheriff, Dean.” Joe yawned and lay down on the floor near the fireplace.

“Then I’ll be his deputy and clean up Virginia City and then go to some other town and be the sheriff there. And clean up that town too.” Dean threw another log on the fire. Then he lay down beside Joe. He rolled over on his back rested his head on Joe’s saddlebag.

”Deputy Newkirk? And maybe be elected mayor too? Huh Dean? Maybe territorial governor? President Newkirk.” Joe grinned. Maybe it wouldn’t be too bad if Dean were the sheriff. There was no way Dean would throw him in jail if he drank too much beer and got into a fight at the Silver Dollar on a Saturday night. Joe closed his eyes and fell asleep dreaming of Saturday nights at the Silver Dollar and pretty Miss Sylvie bringing him and Sheriff Newkirk free beers.

“Well Sheriff, seems like we have our choice of gals tonight. They are already lining up for us again.” Joe sighed. “So many gals, so little time!”

”Sure thing Joe. It is because you are the handsomest cowboy in Virginia City and I, am your friend as well as the sheriff.” Dean nodded. He took out his handkerchief and polished his shiny silver badge.

Miss Sylvie, wearing a spangled red dress, rolled her eyes at Sheriff Newkirk. Passing Little Joe Cartwright, she ran her fingers on the back of his neck, sending chills through his body. “I love your curly hair, Little Joe! “She smiled. Leaning down she whispered into this ear, “I’ll be around if you need me honey. Here is some more free beer for you, handsome” Slowly she sauntered back to the bar to entertain paying customers. She turned and smiled and blew a kiss at Joe over her shoulder. “See you later in my boudoir for a special private dinner!”

Little Joe surged with desire He wanted her now. Noticing three pairs of eyes watching the exchange and his reaction, he tried to squelch his desires, at least for now. There were three more bar gals waiting for the manly attentions of Little Joe Cartwright.

The boys drained their six free beers and smiled at how good life was for Sheriff Newkirk and Joe Cartwright.

 

Chapter 5

Summer 1859

Virginia City

 

Generally, Joe Cartwright liked most everyone and in turn everyone liked Joe. Even as a small boy, wherever the Joe went, he had a knack for making friends and charming total strangers. Some times that skill would get him into trouble. As a boy as he had a knack for squirming out of chores and falling for every pretty girl who came within ten miles of him.

Countless times, however, this trait had saved his neck. People were usually glad to help him out or would trust his kind nature knowing that no matter what difficulty he got in or whatever problem he created, Joe’s intentions were basically good. His smile often charmed his way out of a fight or motivated lazy hands to put in the extra effort to finish a job ahead of schedule or soothed the anger of a protective father when Joe brought his sweet daughter home too late.

 On the other hand, his likeability and easy way with people often made some people resentful and jealous of him. There were those in Virginia City who felt the “high and mighty Cartwrights”, especially Little Joe had everything handed to them, that their lives were too comfortable or that they had too much power in the territory or things came to them far too easily.

“You waiting for your horse to get shod?” Joe Cartwright looked at Tucker Beck leaning against the hitching rail. He and Dean Newkirk had just loaded some heavy iron hearth grates into the wagon that the blacksmith had repaired for the Ponderosa. “Want to get a beer with us, Tuck? I’ll buy the first round.” Joe invited cheerfully.

“I’m about done, I was just settling up. That’s my horse over there.” He gestured to a sorrel tied to the fence.” I’m getting out of town,” the young man spit into the dust.

“For how long?” Joe asked with a smile.

“Gonna be back for the dance on Saturday?” Dean asked. “Should be a real big party.”

“Leaving here for permanent while the getting is good.” Tucker was a couple of years older than Joe all three young men had gone to school together. He and Joe were similar in height and build. Tucker kept his brown hair short cropped and had worn a moustache for the last few years that gave him the look of an older man. The discouraged look in his gray eyes added to that mature appearance.  Tucker’s father had worked in the Fischer mines for years and Tucker had reluctantly followed after him, hating every minute.

”You Cartwrights just got lucky. That’s how you got the Ponderosa, “ griped Tucker Beck that hot afternoon outside the blacksmith. “I ain’t got your luck. Ain’t got no luck. No luck at all.”

“Luck has nothing to do with it, Tucker. My Pa broke his back and worked hard his whole life. My brothers and me work real hard too.” Joe held up his calloused hands. “Don’t think this looks like the hands of no duke or prince or a rail road tycoon.”

”Don’t think you smell like one neither, Little Joe,” Dean Newkirk laughed looking at his sweaty friend. He took off his hat and playfully waved it in the air as if he were fanning away some noxious fumes. Dean frowned and shook his head. Joe playfully poked his friend and laughed at Dean’s joke.

“My Pa broke his back until he died and I got calluses too Joe. Ain’t got no ranch or no silver mine or no nothin’” Tucker growled angrily. Mr. Beck had worked in the Fischer mines and when he wasn’t shoveling out ore he was drinking himself to death. Now and again, when he was not too drunk he tinkered with mechanical devices. The whisky and the backbreaking work had done him in three years earlier. He left his son a shack with a leaky roof, a bunch of half built machinery and a stack of debts.

“I ain’t got no luck,” Tucker repeated. He spit on the ground with sullen disgust. “No luck with money or women or nothing.’”

“Is that why you are leaving Virginia City?” Dean asked sincerely. Even though Tucker had never been particularly friendly to either boy, soft hearted Dean still was sympathetic to the young man’s palpable misery.

“Sorta, one of the reasons. Goin’ to California. Stockton probably. Heard they might be looking for lawmen out that way. Maybe, Arizona. Maybe Mexico. I’ll have better luck there. Either of you interested in buying my new rifle?”

Joe asked, ” That one you just bought last month?”

Tuck nodded, “I’ll take $25 if you get it for me now. I’m leaving as soon as I can. Planned to ride out when the blacksmith is done and he is done right now.”

“I’d like to help you out Tucker but I won’t have the money until payday and that is…” Dean stammered.

”Not until the end of the month,” Joe completed Dean’s sentence. “I can ask my brothers for a loan. We are meeting him in the Silver Dollar in a hour or so.”

”No, I’m leaving right now.” Without as much as a good bye to the other two cowboys, Tucker climbed onto his horse and galloped out of town.

”He sure looks like he is in a hurry,” Joe shrugged as he and Dean climbed onto the buckboard. “ Maybe someone is after him. “

Dean laughed as he drove the team around the front of the mercantile where the Ponderosa order waited for the boys to load. “Maybe he owes someone money or maybe he has a pretty girl waiting for him somewhere…”

”I doubt that, he would have had a big smile on his face if some gal was waiting.” Joe grinned and winked at Dean “Like this one I have on mine. Look who is waving to me on the other side of the street.”

Both boys could see one of the friendliest and most attractive girls in Nevada Territory calling to Joe Cartwright from in front of her father’s hardware stores.

”Joe!” she called. “I need to talk to you!”

“Dean, you start loading the wagon. I’ll be right back. Seems like the lady needs my help over there across the street.”

Joe ran across the dirt street dodging an approaching freight wagon and the two Bonner brothers on horseback and followed the young lady down the alleyway that ran between the hardware store and the livery stable.

Chapter 6

“Joe it is getting late, we should have met up with your brothers a half hour ago,” Dean hollered into the shadows. He wasn’t quite sure what Little Joe was doing with the young lady but he certainly didn’t want to intrude on his friend’s privacy and see something he shouldn’t. Dean was easily embarrassed. He had even loaded the entire wagon of supplies by himself as slowly as he could hoping to avoid facing whatever Joe and the girl were doing.

“Hey Joseph? Did you hear me, boy?” Dean yelled again into the livery stable. “Come on Little Joe!”

“Yeah Dean, I’ll be right with you in one minute. He resumed kissing the pretty girl. “I guess we really better stop. I’m seeing Amy Duprey. This ain’t right for me to be kissing you.” She really took his breath away.

She leaned into him and pulled his face down to hers for one more long, heated kiss. She couldn’t have stood any closer to him if she tried and she really tried.

Joe pushed her away  “I really do have to go.” He smiled and smoothed back her soft, long, dark hair. “ I truly love Amy, you got to understand that.” He backed up away from her. She moved closer to him and he backed up again. “I thought you said you needed to talk about some problem. This ain’t talking.”

”But Joe, honey. We used to be so close.”

“You said you had some trouble and needed to talk.” He repeated trying to pull himself out of her embrace but he didn’t try too hard. “You said you needed some help.”

“Joe, I thought you really liked me.” She whispered temptingly. “Honey, I really like you. I like you an awful lot. You kiss so nice.”

Joe smiled remembering the long winter afternoons in her parlor.” But that was along time ago, and I have a real serious girl friend now. Real serious.” Joe blushed thinking how difficult it was to walk away from her but Amy was his girl and he couldn’t play around on his girl no matter how good the offer was. It was very tempting but it was not the right thing. His Pa had always brought his boys up to do the right thing no matter how difficult. And pulling away from this very amorous attractive girl was very difficult for Little Joe Cartwright.

‘You sure?” she sighed. She ran her fingers up and down Joe’s shirt and twisted one of the buttons. Her dark eyes met his.

“ I’ m real late now,” Joe smiled at the pretty dark haired girl. She nodded and took her hand from his shirt and let him loose.

“Goodbye Joe, honey” She smiled as she ran her delicate finger up and down his arm. “If you change your mind you know where I am,” She smiled and licked her scarlet lips and brushed her hand on his belt buckle. Joe’s eyes widened and he backed off from her quickly. “Amy and I are talking about getting married, …” he stammered.

Joe swallowed hard and watched the girl walk down the alley way toward her father’s hardware store. She really looked pretty walking away too. He turned and walked the other way towards Dean.

”Dean, you aren’t gonna believe what just happened,” Joe grinned. Not only did he feel like quite the grown man for doing the “honorable” thing as his Pa would call it in regard to his loyalty to Amy, but one of the most attractive girls in town was aggressively trying to seduce him.

Joe walked over to the livery stable pump and pulled the handle until some cold, clear water gushed out of the spout. He pulled off his hat and stuck his head under the torrent until he was cooled off and water ran down his shirt collar.

“Joe!” Dean hollered again from the other side of the alley. “C’mon, boy let’s go!”

Ten minutes later both young men entered the saloon. Joe, with his damp hair curling. scanned the room quickly for a glimpse of his brothers. He spied Adam and Hoss at a table in the corner talking to a couple of men and waved his hat. Joe sauntered over to with a wide grin on his face until he realized Adam was sitting with Jack Fischer.

Joe hated handsome blonde Jack Fischer ever since school days.

Jack was a few years older and used to pick at Little Joe Cartwright mercilessly. Jack rarely got into any trouble as he was clever and usually had one of his pals, like Tucker Beck do his dirty work. Jack was pretty sly and most people in Virginia City never caught on to his sneakiness. If they did, Jack’s father, Stanley Fischer got his son out of trouble by paying for the damages or hiring a lawyer or having one of his burly miners make threats.

Dean smiled waiting for Little Joe to verbally skewer Jack with a pointedly bold remark. His blue eyes twinkled as he waited for Joe’s triumphant braggadocio. The last fifteen minutes had clearly shown Dean and Joe who had the upper hand when it came to the pretty girls of Virginia City. It was not Jack Fischer. Joe opened his mouth to make a remark about certain pretty girls liking him more than Jack Fischer.

Before Joe could make a comment, Hoss grabbed the back of his young brother’s damp shirt and yanked Joe backwards into a chair between the brothers.

“Good to see you, Joseph.” Adam said with a frozen grin on his face. He casually leaned over as if he was straightening Joe’s wet collar

 “Don’t say a word if you know what is good for you! Not one word,” Adam hissed in his ear. Joe initially assumed Adam was miffed with his lateness but this was not Adam’s usual behavior when Joe was late. For once, Little Joe was quiet and he looked at his brother for some clue but Adam was totally silent.

‘So the wedding will be in two weeks,” Jack continued smiling weakly. He sadly swirled the dregs of his whiskey in his glass.

“Someone getting married?” Joe asked. Dean sat in the empty chair on the far side of Hoss. Then he glanced with confusion at the other men at the table.

All the men at the table stared at Little Joe. He felt someone kick his shins and realized it was both his older brother signaling him to shut his mouth.

“Well, Jack congratulations,” Hoss smiled warmly and lifted his beer glass towards the blonde young man.

“That’s right, congratulations, Jack,” Adam signaled Sylvie the bar maid to bring another round and to get Dean and Little Joe beers. Sylvie was wearing a form fitting red satin dress that clung tightly to her voluptuous figure.

‘So who is getting married?” Dean leaned over Hoss to ask Joe. He was still trying to sort out what was going on.

“Jack. In two weeks,” He chuckled and elbowed Dean who elbowed him back. Hoss caught in the middle, got one of the elbow thrusts by accident and swatted both boys. “Quit you two. Or I’ll toss you out in street by the scruff of your necks. The both of you.”

The pretty bar maid, Sylvie, brought their drinks. She smiled familiarly at Jack Fischer and leaned in close to him as she passed the drinks out. Jack flinched noticeably as she brushed against him. Hoss noticed the hurt look in Sylvie’s dark brown eyes.

Little Joe took a long pull on his nice cold beer thinking that some girl snagged Jack. A two-week engagement and that only meant one thing. Maybe he should get the happy couple a cradle as a wedding gift he thought snidely. Joe laughed loudly and almost spilled his beer. Hoss elbowed him again.

“So who are you marrying Jack? Who is the lucky lady?” Dean asked innocently.

Hoss and Adam both kicked Joe again under the table. “Damn, you two are going to break my leg before we get home. Change seats with me Dean.” Joe stood up and pulled Dean’s arm trying to get him to stand up too.

“Quit it Joe!” Dean protested sipping his beer. He didn’t want to get poked at by the two older Cartwrights. “I’m tired from loading that wagon all by myself. Completely all by myself alone, Joe. Just me.”

Neither Adam nor Hoss even noticed the boy’s pointed remark.

” So, Jack,” Dean Newkirk, repeated. “Who are you marrying?”

”Melissa Peters,” Jack named the future Mrs. Jack Fischer.

Joe started to choke as he inhaled the beer into his windpipe instead of his throat. Hoss pounded him on his back as he gasped for air.

Dean stared at Joe knowing that less than a half hour earlier he had seen Joe and Melissa embracing behind the livery stable.

Chapter 7

Later that week

The Ponderosa Ranch

 

Little Joe Cartwright slid down from his horse and tied the reins to a low hanging branch. The midday sun shined brightly and for the first time in days the sky was blue and cloudless. The only sound the boy heard was the distant cry of a bird.

Joe took a large swig of water from his canteen. He wiped the drips from his chin with the back of his dirty hand. He was exhausted, it had been a long afternoon and he was glad he was able to slip away from the herd to take a well-deserved break. He rubbed his sore backside and carefully sat down, underneath a tree. The sun was shining in his eyes and he pulled his hat down over his face to cut the glare.

The night before, Hoss had fallen asleep in Ben’s leather chair by the fire. While his watchdog brother snored, Little Joe had snuck over to the Circle D Ranch to see Amy Duprey for a few hours. He had originally not intended to stay long as it was a weeknight, but he was enjoying Amy’s sweet company and they couldn’t bear to part. She was telling him about the dress she was making. It was bright yellow and she hoped to have it ready to wear to church the following week.

By the time they had kissed goodnight and then kissed goodnight a second time and Joe made sure she got safely back into her house without being caught by her father and Joe rode back to the Ponderosa it was pretty late. He was really glad that his father and Adam was away for a few days and would not be waiting up for him. Hoss was a sound sleeper and never heard him sneak back into the house. It was well past midnight by the time the boy had stabled his horse and fallen sleep.

Joe had dreamed of how pretty Amy would look in her new yellow dress and in the dream they were dancing together at Melissa and Jack’s upcoming wedding. Just as he was taking dream Amy for a dream walk in the dream moonlight Hoss had hauled him out of bed. It was dawn and they had to get to work. With their father in San Francisco and Adam up at the lumber camp until the afternoon, Hoss was in charge. He took his responsibilities seriously and made sure Joe was up and out when the boy really wished he could sleep for a few hours more.

Hoss had told him while he was hunting the strays to ride up to the line shack and see how the place looked. There had been a few hard storms during the last few weeks and while he was up there it would be a good idea to give the place a once over. If there was any serious repair work to be done, they could come back and do the repairs the next week after they finished the new fence line on the Circle D boundary of the Ponderosa.

Just when Little Joe thought that he might be drifting off to sleep, he heard the distinct sound of calf crying or a strange mewling sound. At first he thought it was a bird calling from the other side of the rise but as he sat up realized the sound was much closer. The noise sounded far more human. Joe realized that the sound was a female voice crying for help. It was coming from the thicket of brush.

Joe warily drew his gun and walked over to see what was going on.

At first Joe couldn’t quite figure out what he was seeing. Lying in a heap under a spruce tree was something shiny and red covered over by branches and twigs. As he got closer, the boy realized the glittery crimson that he saw was the fancy dress of Miss Sylvie.

He kneeled down and tried to see what was going on, why was she lying in a heap out on the muddy prairie.

“Miss Sylvie?”

 She looked up at Joe and whimpered, “Help me!”  Her face was all battered and bloody and her dress was muddy and torn.

“What happened?” he gasped. He had never seen a woman so hurt before.

“Help me!” she repeated.

He knew he had to get her inside and off the damp ground and tend to her injuries. The line shack was only down the hill. He managed to carry her down to the little house and put her down on the narrow bed.

Chapter 8

As the afternoon went on and Joe didn’t return to the herd, an angry Hoss went hunting for him. He found Cochise tied up in front of the line shack.

”Little Joe!” he called. “What are you doin’ in there?” Hoss was glad he found his brother but annoyed that once again, he wasn’t following orders and had snuck off from work. He truly hoped that Joe didn’t have Amy Duprey secreted in the line shack for an afternoon “picnic”.

“Little Joe!” Hoss bellowed. “What are you doing’?”

A very worried Joe rushed out the door.” Boy! Am I glad you came up here!”

Joe quickly explained what was going on to his older brother, how he found Sylvie and brought her inside and tried to tend to her injuries. “I really didn’t know what else to do and didn’t want to leave her alone. Just in case the fella came back.” He pulled Hoss inside. It was clear to both brothers that someone had beat the woman brutally and mercilessly.

 “Hoss, we have to find whoever did this to Miss Sylvie,” said Joe, his dismay evident in his voice. “She is a real nice girl.”

When Hoss realized what he had found in the line shack, it had taken more self-control than the big man knew he possessed to calmly instruct Joe to get his saddlebag from Chubb and bring it into the cabin.

“Got some bandages and liniment from when I fixed up that injured horse the other day.”

“Can you fix her up Hoss?” Joe pleaded when he brought the bag into the cabin. “She looks like she’s been up here hurt for a couple of days.”

”Joe, now you go to the creek and bring in some water and put it on to heat. Then you go get some more fire wood.” It was awkward enough for Hoss to be tending a woman with out Little Joe looking on.

“But Hoss..” Joe started.

Hoss handed him the tin bucket and shoved him out of the door. “Go!”

Hoss started tending to her wounds as carefully and gently as he could.

Moving her shoulders and legs, Sylvie shifted on the bed. Her movement looked stiff and uncomfortable, and soft moans confirmed it was a painful process. She turned her head and her eyes flickered opened, the left one wide while the swollen, bruised right barely moved.

“Don’t you move little lady? I’m gonna do my best to fix you up M’am.” Hoss said as calmly as he could muster in the awkward situation.

As he gently washed her up and bandaged the battered woman’s wounds, Hoss knew the answer to the question that he was going to ask. He just wasn’t sure whether now was the time to ask it. Taking a deep breath, he said, “Miss Sylvie, are you gonna have a baby?”

Chapter 9

Joe took care of the water for Hoss. He sat on the doorstep for a few minutes and then started the chores that Hoss had assigned him.  By the time Joe filled the woodpile with enough kindling to last the night and far into the next few days, Adam came galloping up.  He had returned from the lumber camp and come searching for his brothers. They both should have been tending the herd and telling the hands what to do. Adam was furious to find them missing and the hands unsupervised.

One of the men told Adam that Hoss had sent Little Joe out to hunt up strays hours earlier. When the boy didn’t come back for lunch, Hoss was gone to find his young brother. Adam waited for close to an hour and shared some lunch with the men.

Shorty said that both of them had disappeared hours earlier. “First Little Joe took off and then Hoss went up for him and never came back neither. We were too busy down here to go hunting them just yet. Figured Hoss was rousting Little Joe somewhere.”

When Hoss still didn’t return, Adam set out to find them both. Now he found his little brother filling a woodpile at the line shack instead of rounding up strays.

“Find any of those strays, Boy? Can’t imagine there are any cattle inside the line shack, Little Joe” Adam was enraged. “ I heard Hoss sent you up her looking for cows! It is too early to start cooking dinner.” He pointed to the smoke coming out of the chimney. He too was sure that Little Joe was hiding out with Amy, just as Hoss had been.

“We got sort of a bad situation here, Adam” Joe stammered looking up at his angry oldest brother.

“What kind of situation? “ Adam glared down at him from Sport sure that Joe was way in over his head. “Where’s Hoss?”

Joe explained what they had found. Adam looked at his little brother as climbed down from his horse and tied it on the hitching rail. He knew Sylvie from the saloon and always thought well of her. Now, if what Joe described was accurate, someone had tried to beat the poor girl to death.

Chapter 10

Inside the line shack, Hoss sat on a battered chair next to the bed on which the injured woman lay sleeping.  He looked strangely huge on the rickety chair standing watch over Sylvie. The shack was quite small, and the four people almost filled it. The few pieces of rough wooden furniture, a cupboard and a square table took up most of the space. Adam sat on the only other chair in the room, while Joe leaned against the table. He nervously slid the bottle of liniment back and forth across the surface of the table between his hands.

“Quit jiggling and sit still, Little Joe,” Adam ordered.

The Cartwright brothers were watching the figure in the narrow bed, their faces showing their anxiety and concern for the young woman.

 “We’ve done everything we can for her right now,” Adam said. Joe walked over to the fireplace and put on the coffee pot. It was getting dark outside. He went over to the pantry shelf and took down the tin of beans and poured them into the iron pot.

“Hoss, who would beat up a girl like that?” Joe looked at his large brother.

Hoss just shook his head and shrugged.

 “Who ever it was sure was real mad at her.” Adam tried to explain.

Joe continued preparing some dinner. “Why would someone hurt Sylvie so bad?”

 “She’s stopped shivering, and she seems to be resting easy. All we can do now is wait for morning and you can ride for the doctor.” Adam directed.

 “Pa won’t mind if we bring her back to the house right now. He really won’t.” Joe argued. “And he won’t be back until early next week so we don’t really even have to tell him anything.” He looked directly at Adam.

“Joe that’s not what I am talking about. She is to badly hurt to start moving right now. As soon as it is light, you have to ride into town and bring Doc Martin up here. “ Adam decided.

Hoss nodded in agreement. “Adam is right. This little gal is too busted up to move, Joe. Not for a few days.”

Little Joe walked over to the bed and gently pulled the thin blanket up over the sleeping woman. She looked so different with her hair down around her shoulders and with out her rouge and face powder. “Who would hurt her like that?” Joe asked again. No Cartwright would ever raise his hands to a woman under any condition. “What kind of man beats up on a girl?”

Hoss said what Sylvie had told him finally answering Joe’s question. “And he said he wouldn’t marry her, no matter what condition she was in. He wanted to be done with her.” Hoss added.

Adam rubbed his hand over his chin and shook his head in disgust.

“But she won’t say who the man is what done it. Just that he is a rich feller and she won’t tell me his name.” Hoss started. “She said his family would cover for what ever he did.”

” We gotta take care of him!” Joe was indignant and more than willing to go beat up on the guy for Sylvie.  “I would like to see how brave a guy like that is if I went after him. You and me Hoss. We’ll show him not to hurt women.”

Sylvie stirred on the bed. “No” she begged in a panicky voice as she tried to focus on the figures by her bed. She reached out and grabbed Hoss’s arm.  “Please don’t tell. Let me stay here a bit and then I will leave.”

“But the sheriff can have him arrested. Just go into Virginia City and make a complaint,” Hoss explained. He naively assumed that it was as simple as that.

“No Hoss, no court would believe a woman like me. The man will say he didn’t do it. He is very rich… His family is important and powerful.”

”But it ain’t right what he did to you and will get away, Miss Sylvie.” Hoss remarked gently.

“Tell me who it was and me and my brothers will tell the sheriff…” Joe started. “Roy Coffee will take care of it. He is a friend of ours Miss Sylvie.” His father always had told him to let the law handle things.

No, you can’t!” Sylvie pleaded from the bed. “He’ll kill me if he finds me! Don’t!! Please.”

Adam sighed and shook his head sadly. “She’s a right boy.” He knew what rich and powerful men would do to cover up their despicable behaviors. He had learned that lesson very well in dealing with his grandfather Stoddard. “We might put Miss Sylvie into a worse situation if we go looking for the thug who did this.”

“Then we have to tell the sheriff.” Joe persisted.

“No, please. I have to just get away. I can’t stay and let him and his family catch up with me.”

“Joe go outside and let Hoss and me discuss this.” Adam started. He stood up near his youngest brother and tried to push him out of the shack.

”No, Adam. I found her. You’re not going to decide what to do with out me. I’m not a little kid.”

”Let the boy stay,” Sylvie whispered. She was always fond of Little Joe Cartwright and knew he meant well. “It’s all right.” The injured woman leaned back on the bunk and closed her eyes.

“We got to help her out,” Joe repeated insistently.

“You can’t let anyone know where I am. I need to get away.”

“She needs to heal up first, Adam,” Hoss said. “Then we can help her go somewhere else.” He gently held Sylvie’s hand.

Adam nodded. “Then that is just what we will do.”

Chapter 11

June 1861

Virginia City

 

“Dance with me Joe!” Melissa Fischer smiled brightly and grabbed Joe Cartwright’s hands. Joe was feeling no pain having spent the last twenty minutes standing with some of the other young cowboys at the corner of the porch passing around a bottle of whiskey that some hard drinking cousin of Bonnie’s had brought to the wedding reception.

“Sure!” There were far more single men at the party then women and Joe loved to dance. He was glad to take a spin around the dance floor with Melissa. As Dean’s best man, Joe was having a very fine time at the wedding. There was plenty of food and drink and everyone was celebrating in the home of Bonnie’s aunt and uncle.
”Where’s your husband? Doesn’t Jack dance anymore? Joe asked as he danced a second dance with the dark haired beauty.

“If he does, it isn’t with me.” She said pulling Joe closer than was really proper as the band played a slower waltz. More drunk than he had been in a long time, Joe didn’t even care what Jack Fischer did or didn’t do as he twirled his wife around the dance floor. He was having fun at his friend’s wedding and that is all he cared about.

From the corner of his eye, as he danced with Melissa, Joe saw her husband shove past the whirling dancers on the dance floor. Before Little Joe knew what was happening, Melissa was yanked from his arms and he was being pushed aside.

Trying to smile Joe said, “Hey come on, Jack. I didn’t mean any harm. We were just dancing!”

Jack’s eyes narrowed, “It’s too late for apologies, Cartwright!”

“I’m not apologizing. I’m just dancing.” Joe grinned swinging Melissa in a circle.

“Let go of my wife, Cartwright!” Jack ordered drunkenly. He grabbed his wife by her hair and slapped her face. “I told you to stay away from Joe Cartwright. You are my wife now!” Suddenly the music stopped and everyone at the party froze.

From where he was sitting, Hoss had seen Jack hit Melissa and the uncontrollable anger began to mount as he saw her being held so roughly by her husband. Jumping up from his seat he strode angrily toward the dance floor. He got up so swiftly that the chair fell backwards and crashed into the floor.

“What the heck are you doin’, Jack!” Hoss bellowed as he waded through the throng of shocked wedding guests. Dean stood to the side holding his arm protectively around his new bride, Bonnie. “How could a man hit his wife?” Dean thought with disgust.

Joe pulled Fischer off his wife but not before Jack delivered a second harder backhanded slap to the other side of her face.

”You belong to me!” He bellowed. “Stay away from him!”

Joe pulled Jack off the hysterical Melissa. As Little Joe held him by the shirt collar with his left hand, he landed a swift punch on the young mine owners face. Dropping Jack to the floor he turned around, looking for Melissa. She had run out the party with Nancy Foster and Mim Wallace chasing after her.

Jack lay stunned on the dance floor trying to clear his head. He looked at his friends and motioned for them to get the arrogant cowboy. Before two of his friends could get the drop on Little Joe they were stunned to find some additional resistance in the form of Hays Newkirk and Ben Cartwright.

”You two aren’t gonna mess up this wedding party, now cut this out, all of you!” Bonnie’s uncle hollered.

Walking over to Jack, Hays Newkirk, the groom’s father, pulled him up to a standing position. “Come on Jack, it’s time to leave. Get out of here before you cause more trouble.”

Hays held onto young Fischer and Hoss pushed the other men away before a brawl could break out and spoil the wedding. Jack did not say anything. Shrugging away Newkirk’s grip he walked out of the room.

Ben pushed Joe out the front door. “Go cool off, best man. You are a bit too high spirited and I can smell it on you.”

”But..” Joe started.

“Get some fresh air and sober up. Take care of the rig and stay away from Jack Fischer.” It had all happened so fast that Joe’s head was spinning from the combination of the warm room, too much whiskey and too much dancing. Now with a fight brewing, the cool evening air sounded like a grand idea.

Ben directed Hoss “Go keep an eye on your brother and don’t let him have anything more to drink.’

Hoss nodded and grabbed little Casey Newkirk by the arm and said “Casey, what do you say you me and Joe go decorate Dean’s buggy?”

The boy crowed with delight to be included in with the men decorating the bride and groom’s carriage with old shoes and paper streamers. The boy ran ahead out the parlor door as Hoss lead Joe out into the front yard.

As Dean righted the overturned chairs, Bonnie’s Uncle announced “Ok ladies and gents, its all over now. Let’s have some more music and dancing before we slice up that wedding cake!”

 Chapter 12

”Thank you helping me out before. Both of you,” Melissa said to Joe and Hoss. She hugged both of them and smiled weakly. Nancy Foster and Mim Wallace stood next to her.

Joe gently turned her face towards the light streaming out of the windows. “Hoss! Look what Jack did to her!”

”Are you all right, M’am?” Hoss said to Melissa Fischer as Joe held both of her hands in his.

“I’ll be all right,” Melissa sighed.

“Keep your hands off my wife!” Jack hollered from the other side of the yard.

“Little Joe, watch out!” Mim cautioned.

Joe spun around as he heard the new threat. The angry man he had deposited on the floor earlier was now charging him. Moving to the side Little Joe avoided the full impact of Jack’s fury. Joe stepped between Melissa and her angry husband.

Stanley Fischer came out on the porch. Rushing over to his son he grabbed him by the shoulders and yanked him off the other man. The stunned mine owner chastised his son. “Jack what are you doing? We Fischers don’t air our dirty linen in public.” Jack tried to pull from his father’s grasp. He was drunk enough that his father was barely able to hang on to him.

“I don’t want your wife! I was just dancing with her!’ Joe shouted back. “And if anyone better keep their hands of Melissa, it’s you Jack!”

”What the heck is wrong with you Jack? Hittin’ a woman!” Hoss said angrily. Nothing infuriated Hoss Cartwright more than a man hitting a woman.

Joe nodded in agreement. “Yeah, Jack! What kind of a man are you? Want to hit someone? Let’s see how you do with me?” Joe balled up his fists and glared at Jack. Hoss put his hand on his brother’s shoulder and tried to pull him back.

Casey Newkirk jumped up on the back of his brother’s decorated buggy. He watching to see what Joe and Hoss did next. If Joe was going to punch someone, Casey didn’t want to miss anything.

Hoss turned around, annoyed, “All right that’s enough Jack, now get on outta here before you cause anymore trouble.” He still hung on to Joe so his brother couldn’t move anywhere.

“Go get your wife and let’s go home. You have a son to think about.” Stanley Fischer pulled on his son’s coat sleeve. Hoss could smell the whiskey on Jack’s sour breath.

“Melissa, you don’t have to go with him if you don’t want.” Joe held her hand. He protectively pulled her a bit behind him but she stepped forward, still holding on to his hand.

“Come home with me or go over to your parents,” Nancy urged. “Clem and I will go get the baby for you.”

“That is my grandson. That child will never, ever leave my house. And you all better mind your business Come along now Melissa,” Stanley Fischer ordered his daughter in law.

“Come along now, daughter,” Mrs. Fischer urged from the Fischer carriage.

“Melissa.” Joe started trying to get her not to go.

“No that is all right. “ She pulled her hand from Joe’s and followed Jack and Stanley to the waiting surrey.
”That’s not the first time Jack hit her,” Nancy said grimly as they watched the Fischers drive away. “And I am sure won’t be the last.”

“But it probably be the last time any of us hear about it though,” Mim Wallace commented as she walked back inside. “Joseph come inside and get some coffee.”

 

Continue on with Sins of the Father series Part 3

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