Summary: Part four of the Cherry Tree Saga
Word Count: 11,400
The Cherry Tree Saga
Part 4
Chapter 1
Tuesday Afternoon
”Did the saw blades I ordered come in yet, Andrea?” Ben Cartwright asked the red headed young woman working behind the counter. She opened up the big green ledger book behind the counter and ran her finger quickly down the inventory and delivery page.
“Yes sir. It came in just yesterday on the freight wagon. I think Cy put them in the back when they unloaded. Let me check for you. “
“I’d appreciate that if you could. Adam and the crew are getting held up waiting to get them.” He smiled. Having his oldest boy home brought Ben more happiness than he could have imagined. His son had matured into a talented engineer and a dependable partner on the ranch. In the months that Adam had been back home, lumber production had almost doubled. The new mill would easily be able to supply everything that Adam had estimated. Ben noticed a new shipment of hand tools on a chain had been strung over the counter and reached up to examine a handsaw.
“Excuse me Mr. Cartwright, may I pass?” said Mrs. Lowell entering the store with her arms full of small crates. Daniel followed behind with another armload of merchandise. Keeping his eyes low, Danny quietly placed all of it on a shelf next to Ben.
Ben swept his hat off, “Mrs. Lowell, could I help you with one of those boxes?” he offered.
Since her husband was killed she struggled to keep the store running. She was terribly shy and reserved when her husband was alive and usually had stayed in the background tending to the cooking and cleaning and her children. Mr. Lowell’s sudden death had required her to step forward and run the store, and she was barely managing. She was leaning too heavily on her children, who for the most part were too young to take on this burden.
“Oh no thank you, Mr. Cartwright.”
As Ben moved forward to pick up some boxes, young Danny stepped towards him and blocked his way. Daniel hitched his box up on his hip” I’m strong enough to help my mom and my sister just fine”, he said defiantly.
Ben knelt to the boy’s level to talk to him. Daniel seemed thinner than the last time he had seen him. He realized he hadn’t seen the boy out at the Ponderosa playing with Little Joe in months.
“I can see that, you take good care of things don’t you Son?”
“I sure do try Mr. Cartwright”, Daniel looked away. He had black circles under his eyes. “You just go and get your delivery.”
Ben stood back up, ignoring the boy’s rudeness and faced his mother. “Mrs. Lowell are you sure I can’t give you a hand, or help you out in any other way?”
“No, sir. My husband’s brother has joined us as you know, and he is taking care of everything.”
Andrea met his eyes, she knew that Ben suspected they were struggling and she tried to keep her tongue. Her mother had told her not to tell anyone about family business. But Mr. Cartwright was different. He had been her father’s friend and the rancher had specifically told her at his funeral to come to him if she needed help.
Ben saw Andrea glance nervously behind her at her mother and then back at him.
“Really Mr. Cartwright we’re fine. Let me have the rest of the list and you can start loading up. Is your wagon out front?” Andrea stammered.
Ben nodded and handed her the order he had made up. He placed his hat on the back of his head.
”I appreciate your offer but my brother–in-law Ramsey is taking fine care of every thing,” Mrs. Lowell told him looking down at the floor.
“Then I better start loading up my wagon.” Ben grabbed one of the nail kegs, turned and started out the door. “My boys are waiting on all this stuff and it is getting late.”
Andrea was about to say something to Mr. Cartwright when she saw her uncle approaching from the rear of the store. She caught her breath and began to tremble.
“Andrea what are you doing? I been waiting for ten minutes out back?” he bellowed and glared at Ben loading his wagon outside.
Mrs. Lowell paled and was suddenly silent. She looked away. Andrea nudged Daniel and shook her head. “Now is not the time to talk to Mr. Cartwright,” she whispered. “Keep quiet.”
“Get in the storage room and go back to work before there is trouble” he shouted, as he shoved Daniel back towards the door. The boy stumbled at the force of his uncle’s push. Ramsey reached over and grabbed the boy by the scruff off his neck. He was completely defenseless as he struggled to free himself from the man’s iron grip.
Andrea rushed toward them and grasped her uncle’s arm as he raised his arm to strike the boy. Daniel ducked his head.
“Uncle no! Leave him alone, please. Daniel, go in back” the red headed girl demanded but her uncle brushed her away. “You got something to say to me?” he snarled, his face now inches from his niece’s face.
She heard a familiar voice thunder from the doorway.
“Let him go! Hey you got no call to push the boy around like that,” Ben protested as he walked back inside.
The man turned on Ben in a flash. Realizing he was not alone in the store, Ramsey immediately transformed. He released his grasp on his frightened nephew and turned to face the gray haired rancher. Ben stood with both hands on his hips, his mouth set in an angry line.
”Daniel, are you all right? “ Ben asked.
Before the child could answer Ben heard Mrs. Lowell speak. ”Daniel go in back. Everything is just fine, Ben.” She smiled weakly, her eyes flitted back and forth between her daughter and brother-in-law. “Andrea, go fill Mr. Cartwright’s order.“
“Mr. Cartwright? I’m Ramsey Lowell.” He put his hand out in greeting. Ramsey Lowell looked like a larger, burly version of his late brother. There was a sour angry look in his eyes as he met Cartwright’s gaze. “Is there something I can do for you?” His mouth was smiling but his blood shot eyes were angry.
Ben Cartwright glared at him. Something was very wrong here and he was going to find out about it.
Chapter 2
Wednesday Afternoon
Leaning over on his tiptoes, Joe reached into the grain bin in the tack room. He was able to just reach the loose panel with one hand and reach behind it for the oil-cloth wrapped package. He pulled it out and stood up facing his friend, “Look at this Daniel!” Under one arm he carried a rifle, pointing at the barn floor, the barrel was sheathed in a scabbard of tooled leather.
Daniel leaned over Little Joe’s shoulder, their two curly heads touching. The two friends still had a strong resemblance to each other but it was less strong as the years passed. Joe was still slim and wiry but was beginning to widen out around the shoulders like his father and older brothers. Daniel was narrower and thinner. Hoss described him as “peaked-looking“ with dark circles under his eyes and few smiles since his father was killed fifteen months earlier. Daniel seemed to carry a lot of worry in his heart and no matter how many times Joe tried to make him talk or laugh, he was unsuccessful. Since his uncle had come to stay in Daniel’s house, Joe hadn’t seen much of his friend outside of school.
“Gee that’s a pretty fancy shot gun.” Daniel said examining the weapon.
”Adam brought it back from San Francisco last time he was there. He bought it from a special gunsmith for Pa’s birthday. It cost quite a bit, but we all chipped in. I gave him the money I earned from working on the fences. Pa’s birthday won’t be for a long time but Adam said we better get it now and put it away in case he don’t get back to San Francisco in the next few months.”
Daniel examined the firearm silently.
“But I was the one who figured out where to hide it.” Joe bragged. “Pa will never find it here. The board at the back of the bin is loose and if you push it just so, you can slide anything in there and no one will see it. “
At his side and slightly behind, Daniel continued to study the rifle, tracing his finger almost absently over the highly polished stock. Inset into the stock was a decoration of a buffalo herd and as an engraved pattern on the barrel and scrollwork that matched on the leather scabbard. Both were adorned with the initials BC in the design.
“I’ve got to put it back.” Joe carefully wrapped it up and stowed it back behind the panel in he bin. “Adam will skin me alive if he knows I took it out.”
“Let’s go get something to eat.” Joe grinned to his friend. “You look like you can use a little meat on your bones.”
The two friends who at one time were exactly the same size and often were mistaken for each other, were now a few inches apart in height. Joe wasn’t sure what to do about it, but the idea of a sandwich certainly appealed to him. He would have to remember to ask his Pa for some advice after Daniel went home.
“I’ll race you inside.” Joe shouted as he took off for the kitchen.
Chapter 3
Thursday Morning
Joe had arrived at school that morning dreading one more day of misery with Mr. Ramsey Lowell. In addition to running the floundering hardware store, Ramsey had been hired to teach in the Virginia City School when Miss Lambert left to marry Frank Stanley. Katie Wallace pulled Joe aside as he was tending to his horse, Lucky. It was the first day without rain all week. Lucky was a fat dependable mare that Ben insisted that Joe ride to school, despite his son wanting a faster, more spirited horse.
“Joe don’t use the outhouse,” she said.
“What are you talking about, Kate? What am I supposed to do? Use my hat?” He teased.
”Little Joe Cartwright! You are disgusting. “
“My boots?” he was determined to continue. “My lunch bucket?”
”Joe, quit! Just don’t use the outhouse, not just yet.”
”What’s going on, Kate?”
”Just don’t ask me,” she giggled. “And just remember, skunks like cherry pie.” She turned to walk away and glanced back over her shoulder. Her brown eyes were twinkling with a look that said “Longjohns on the flagpole.”
He noticed some brown crusty pie pieces set in a trail to the outhouse. Joe rolled his eyes and followed her into the schoolhouse. Katie was up to something and he was just going to watch where the chips fell.
Chapter 4
Thursday Afternoon
Ben Cartwright and his oldest son sat at the desk hard at work. They were struggling valiantly to straighten out his crew schedules. The Ponderosa had a big lumber contract to complete for Fischer’s mine, fences that needed repairing, stock that needed tending and too few hands to deal with it all. The heavy rain the last three weeks had thrown everything behind schedule and caused the creeks to rise higher than anyone could remember. Today was the first sunny day all week, but the clouds were forming to the west, promising more rain in the next day or so. The sodden ground could not absorb any more moisture and the creeks were full to flood level. In addition to all the other problems, it appeared that an early winter was closing in, demanding that they move most of the herds down to winter pasture before flooding or early snow trapped them.
“Pa, we are still missing dozens of head. I hope we aren’t being rustled,” Adam said, adding to his father’s list of worries. The two men heard Hop Sing open the door for someone.
“Mr. Cartwright, sir.” Hays Newkirk, Ben’s foreman called as he walked over to them. He had his battered brown hat in his hands and was turning it nervously as he approached the boss. He had a bruise on the side of his face and a fat lip from a fight.
”What is it Hays? How was Carson City? Did you deliver the horses ok?”
“The horses went fine but we got another problem, boss.” He bent his hat brim back and forth between his hands nervously. “You know those six new hands you sent up with me to help with that string of horses? Well we kinda sorta got into a fight in the Lucky Bucket and caused a bit of damage. T’wasn’t our fault, Ben. Some fellers from one of the mines was picking on one of the bar girls and it got out of hand. The Sheriff up there has our boys locked up in his jail.”
Ben shook his head at the latest complication.” I was counting on those boys to help me move those herds to higher land. You’ll have to ride back up there and bail them out. How much do you need? I have Hoss and Hop Sing loading the Chuck Wagon now. We were set to ride out as soon as they are done.”
”I know you were, Mr. Cartwright. I saw them on my way in here,” the foreman said. “That is not the only problem. You see, Judge Kane won’t allow the Sheriff to let those boys go just on bail. He’ll only release them to Ben Cartwright personally. That Judge said he was dang sick of those Ponderosa hands tearing up saloons and wants to talk to you personal.”
Ben slammed his fist into his paper-cluttered desk scattering the work schedules to the floor.
“He said he would only let those boys leave with Mr. Ben Cartwright of the Ponderosa Ranch and if he didn’t see your face in his courtroom the sheriff could let those boys cool their heels until he did.“
“Pa, it looks like you’ll have to take a ride up there and get them out. We are too short handed as it is. If they leave right away they can catch up with us from that direction instead of coming back down this way.”
”What other choice do we have? You go tell Hoss what’s going on and give him a hand.”
”Sorry for the trouble Boss,” Hays said as he put his hat back on and walked out.
Adam kneeled down and started picking up the papers his father had knocked to the floor.
“Guess these will have to be redone.”
Just as they made the necessary adjustments in the schedules, Ben and Adam heard the front door slam and the excited voices of two boys hollering, “We found them!” Their muddy boots clattering on the wide boards, the two boys tossed their hats and their two blue jackets on the pegs near the door just as the grandfather clock struck four.
“Pa we found them!” Little Joe crowed proudly running noisily towards them. He barely managed not to knock over a chair as he raced into the house.
Chuckling and trying to catch their breaths, Joe and Danny ran further into the house to see Little Joe’s brother and father at the desk. Adam looked at them with a raised eyebrow and a small crooked smile, but beyond him their fathers’ angry stony glare sobered them both quickly.
“Daniel, Joseph, where have you been?”
”Pa we found ‘em!” Little Joe boasted. “We found the lost cattle!”
”Mr. Cartwright we found them all!” Daniel added grinning broadly.
”They are up in a draw by Canyon Creek. They’re all there, Pa, but we couldn’t get them out. There was a rock slide from all the rain and they are penned in there.” Joe bragged. “We tried to move the rocks but it was way too much for us and Daniel said we should go tell you.”
”All of them? “ Adam asked.
”Pa, Adam, there must have been five dozen head up there all penned in by the slide.”
”Good job, Little Brother. You used your head.” Adam said proudly moving out of his chair to pat his brother on the back.
Ben stood up from his desk and put his right arm around Joe’s shoulder. He attempted to put his other arm around Daniel but the curly haired boy pulled away. “Show me where you were, here on the map.”
Ben and Adam watched as Joe pointed out the location on the map of the Ponderosa hanging on the wall between the windows.
“Right here ” Joe pointed sliding his finger on the map. Daniel nodded in agreement.
“Are you sure?” His father asked.
Joe nodded confidently. “Right there, Pa. At least five dozen as far as I could see. We really need to get them out. That creek looks really high from all this rain.”
Ben turned toward his youngest son and gave Joe a serious look. “That is pretty far off track for you two to be. That would have taken you a lot more time to reach than say, an hour after school lets out and get back here at four o’clock. Is there something you are leaving out of the story?”
”Like what Pa?” Joe asked innocently. He was so caught up in the excitement of finding the cattle he had forgotten how the day had begun.
“Like how you might have been finding cattle here when you should have been sitting in school this afternoon.” Adam said reading his father’s mind.
”Joseph, is there something you are leaving out of this story?” Ben asked seriously.
The front door slammed again and they heard Hoss hang up his hat and lay down his gun belt on the sideboard “Pa?” he called. “Pa that wagon is almost loaded. Hop Sing said he would have dinner ready for us as quick as he could. I sure am hungry! We still have enough daylight to get out of here and make some good time. Those men will have a hot breakfast tomorrow.”
“Hoss, Hoss! We found the cattle!” Joe interrupted.
Hoss walked over excitedly.” What are you talking about?”
”Joe, I said, is there something you boys are leaving out of this story?” his father repeated firmly. “I want the truth.”
”Um they let us out of school before lunch time and er we decided to go for a ride?” Joe’s voice cracked nervously.
“Mr. Ramsey Lowell dismissed school for the day before lunch?” Adam laughed thinking that Joe surely couldn’t expect his father to believe the authoritarian school master would have given his charges a half day holiday.
“Let’s see how Short Shanks squirms out of this one, Hoss.” Adam laughed. He crossed his arms and leaned back waiting to see how Joe tried to get out of this scrape.
Daniel noticeably winced at the mention of his uncle’s name but remained silent. It was difficult enough to have his uncle invade the peace of his home and take over the household with out having to see the man become the schoolmaster too.
“Well Pa, someone put a skunk in the out house and he stunk up the place so bad that we were let go early.”
Hoss started to laugh. “A skunk in the outhouse?”
Ben put his hand to his forehead. He rolled his eyes ”Lord that boy will be the death of me yet. He fought back a smile and tried his best to look sternly at his youngest son. “Joseph Francis Cartwright, look me right in the eye and tell me if you did that. Truth now.” He glared down at the boy and place one of his hands on each of the boy’s shoulders. “Tell me the truth.”
”Gee Pa, it wasn’t me. I sure didn’t do it.”
”No sir, Mr. Cartwright, sir. It wasn’t Joe, “Daniel backed up his friend earnestly.” It was Ka…”
”It was someone else.” Joe finished his sentence. There was no need for his father to know that Kate had lured the skunk into the out house with a trail of cherry pie morsels and created the best prank since she hoisted the long johns on the flag pole.
“Sure Pa, He ain’t lying,” Hoss laughed. ”If Little Joe did pull one on that Mr. Lowell, he would have put two skunks in that guy’s desk not one skunk in the outhouse.”
They all laughed at that picture.
“Pa, that creek is the highest I ever remember it being. One more good rain and the strays are gonna drown in a flood ” Joe successfully changed the subject and distracted his father from even considering punishing him.
Ben sighed loudly. One more thing to juggle. How is going to manage to get the cattle out with the short number of hands he had now? The hands were mostly moved up North to get the cattle to winter pasture. Now he had to personally ride up to Carson City to get those six hands bailed from Burt Kane’s court. Hoss and Hop Sing were ready to move the chuck wagon out to meet the cattle crew. And his head was pounding with the worst headache he ever had. He rubbed the back of his neck with one hand trying to rearrange the limited number of men to do the job.
“Pa, why not let me take Slim and Les and that new fellow up to the rock slide at day break we could clear it all out and join Hoss up North by afternoon if we put our backs into it.” Adam suggested.
“Sure Pa, we could do that!” Joe excitedly said.
“We? Joseph you forgot one word.” Ben looked at his youngest boy.
“One word?” Joe asked trying to figure out what his father was referring to now.
”School!” his father answered firmly.
“No Pa! Come on! I found them. Please Pa, Let me go with Adam and the crew. Please!” the boy begged.
”Joseph, you have to be in school tomorrow. Adam, you take those men up to clear the slide and send them up to Hoss and the crew when they are done. You come back here to the house and spend the night with Little Joe. You two are going to be the only one’s around here until I get back and someone has to tend to things.” Ben decided. “This damn rain might just turn into snow before we get done.”
“But Pa…” Joe pleaded.
“No “but Pa”, just do what I told you to do and make sure you do it boy.” Ben bellowed. “We are too short handed to do this any other way and I still have to bail out those men PERSONALLY from Judge Kane. And make sure you do everything I tell you to do it or there will be the devil to pay Joseph.”
“Pa, I really want to go with Adam and…”
“I said that’s enough!” Ben boomed, smashing his palms on the desk. Joe faced his fathe,r his mouth open about to say one more sentence.
Hoss looked at their father too. Ben looked like he was about to erupt.
”Pa, calm down.” Hoss put his hand on his father’s shoulder. “He’s just a kid.”
”Look, we have a lot to do the next few days and I need all of you boys to cooperate with me and follow orders.”
“But…” Joe was not ready to let his father have the last word.
“But nothing Joseph. Is that clear? You will be in school tomorrow and you will come directly home to this ranch as I am directing you and you will take care of things as I am telling you or there will be hell to pay. “ Ben stared at Joe. “Is that clear?”
“Yes sir.” Little Joe backed off with a frown.
Daniel shrank away from the Cartwrights. Lately he had heard enough yelling at home and hearing more was rattling him. He had never heard Mr. Cartwright so angry. He had wanted to talk to him like Andrea told him to do but he was now too frightened to say anything about his difficulties at home.
“Uh, Joe, I better be getting home.”
Joe glanced over at his friend and nodded. “Pa, why can’t I go? ”he muttered.
Adam leaned over to his little brother and whispered in his ear. “Buddy, if you have any sense you will walk away from here and say good night to your friend before Pa shows you how you won’t be sitting for a month. Don’t worry, I’ll figure something out. Just walk out of here ‘til Pa cools down.”
Joe started to open his mouth but Adam squeezed his shoulder firmly and he kept quiet.
Joe walked Daniel to the door.
“Good night Dan. See you tomorrow.” He handed his friend his jacket and hat.
“Wait a minute Joe, you’re giving me your coat.”
Joe looked at the blue jacket in his hands and realized how similar the two jackets were. He reached up and handed the other blue jacket to his friend.
“Stay safe, Daniel.” Joe said strangely to the other boy.
His friend nodded and walked out the door.
“Go get washed up for dinner!” Ben shouted, still steaming at the boy and all the other problems that were stacking up on his shoulders. His headache was pounding harder.
Joe stomped up the stairs, struggling not say anything just as Adam had directed.
“Pa, calm down, you know how Joe is. He just is going to pester you until he gets what he wants and you know you will give in to him.”
“Adam please don’t make excuses for his behavior. He is picking the wrong time to not follow my orders.”
“Sorry” Adam stated and sat down next to his father to check the work list. He looked to his father waiting for whatever Ben had in mind. Ben’s head was throbbing and he needed had a million details to attend to before he went to bed.
Ben said “I know I shouldn’t be unloading this on you alone, but you’re the oldest. I have to rely on you to handle things.”
“I know Pa. That’s ok.”
Chapter 4
Daniel quietly walked out of the ranch house. Hoss and clusters of hands were readying wagons and saddling horses in preparation of leaving. He had never heard Mr. Cartwright so angry and it was scary. He had wanted to talk to him like Andrea asked but he was now too frightened to say anything about the troubles at home. Little Joe’s father had been their last option. Mr. Cartwright had said after his father died to come to him if the Lowells needed him. Daniel had wanted to speak to Joe’s father many times before but His ma had said keep their business at home and he didn’t want to defy her. But this time, with all his sisters crying all the time he had to tell someone about Ramsey and what was going on with Andrea. His mother had withdrawn more and more since his father was killed too. Andrea told him to go to Mr. Cartwright for help and now he was too scared to do it. Now he had to take things in his own hands just like a man would. Daniel suddenly remembered the birthday shotgun Joe had shown him hidden in the tack room. Daniel Lowell decided he was going to take care of his own family business on his own terms. And he knew how he would do it.
Chapter 5
Friday Morning
Adam gestured skyward with his chin. “Rain for sure. Be sure you come directly home, Joe. Just like Pa told you to do. And do all those chores.”
Little Joe glanced up. The sky looked like a mottled gray bowl. “You think it’s cold enough for snow?
“I sure hope for the crews sake it isn’t. It’s going to be a hard enough job getting that herd down in the rain. “
“But we’ll go meet them tomorrow, like you said Adam”
”Sure, Little Brother. You just keep your end of the bargain and I’ll do my part.”
”You can count on me!” Joe grinned. He couldn’t wait to see the surprised look on his father’s face when he and Adam rode up to meet them up at North Pasture.” I’m sure it will take me the better part of the day clearing off the rock slide you and Daniel found so it will be after dark by the time I get home. You all right with that Joe? You are going to be the only one on the place.”
“Adam, I’m not a little kid. I am almost twelve years old. I know you went over this. Pa went over it too. I do my chores and get our dinner on. Then tomorrow we ride up to the crew. I can do it.”
“Taking all day over your own pony won’t get you out of looking after the other stock or chopping wood so don’t try it,” Adam said sternly. “I’ve already looked after pitching some hay down for you from the loft but the rest of the chores are your responsibility and you’ve still got the wood boxes to fill before supper. I’m going to feed the pigs and collect the eggs for Hop Sing so don’t take all night over it. All you have to do for supper is heat up that stew Hop Sing left and set up the table.”
”I know, I know.”
”Ok Mr. “I Know”, get moving or you’re going to be late for school. And don’t forget, if the weather turns bad; get home before you get caught. The ground is pretty saturated and the creek is high.”
Chapter 6
Friday Afternoon
“I suppose putting skunks in the out house is your idea of a joke Joe.” Ramsey Lowell said staring at Joe.” Yes, sir.. er no sir, I mean, it was funny but I didn’t do it.”
“You are lying Joseph Cartwright, “ School Master Lowell said firmly. The teacher stared at Little Joe, furious that a mere boy should contradict him. He was holding his wooden ruler in his hand and slapping his own meaty palm with it.
“No sir, I didn’t do it,” Little Joe knew there was no way he would reveal Katie to Ramsey and his fury. Kate was his friend and no way would he betray her to anyone. Joe squirmed in the seat. He wanted nothing more then to be headed back home. The rain was coming down pretty hard and he still had a long list of chores to do. His oldest brother had secretly promised him if he followed their father’s orders thoroughly and completely, Adam would take Little Joe up to meet the crew on Saturday and they could sleep there and make their way back with them on Sunday.
”Liars get what they deserve Joseph. Liars get severely punished.” He swung the ruler into his own hand again with a smacking sound.
”But I didn’t do it sir, “ Joe stammered. “I don’t lie.”
Joe could see the rain falling outside and knew he really had to get home before the roads got impassable. Pa had warned him many times and he didn’t want his father to be angry with him. Before he left that morning, Ben had outlined all the chores he wanted Joe to do while the boy was alone. Then Adam had reviewed them a second time with him before he rode off. Adam was going to get back for dinner, but Joe would be responsible for most of the evening barn chores and heating up the dinner before his brother got back. He really wanted to impress Adam with his responsibility for once and be sure he would be riding up to the North Pasture with him that weekend. Joe wanted his big brother to be proud of him and know how he appreciated his offer to accompany to meet the herd.
“Mr. Lowell, sir, can’t I leave? … the rain is really starting to get very heavy and my Pa said I should be sure to get home before the road floods up and it gets dark and,” Joe started to get up and leave.
Ramsey stood up towering over Joe. “Are you defying me, young man?” His eyes were black under the black ridge of his eyebrows. Joe thought he looked like a wild boar with piggy features on a man’s body.
“Guess we’ll have to show you what can happen when you disrupt school and don’t tell the truth,” said Ramsey with a frown, grasping Joe’s shoulder. The boy tried to pull away but he was no match for the teacher’s vicious grip on his blue jacket.
”Put out your hand boy.”
Joe hesitantly obeyed. Maybe if Ramsey gave him a few licks he would just let him leave. He extended his right hand. Ramsey swung the ruler over his head and swatted the boy hard again and again.
Joe bit down hard on his lip, sensing if he flinched or hollered Ramsey would never quit. Ramsey kept hitting him and Joe realized that the stinging blows were now drawing blood. He attempted to twist away but the teacher tightened his grip on Joe’s arm, keeping the boy’s hand extended as the target for his blows.
Joe pulled harder and swung his other hand catching his fist in the teacher’s throat taking the teacher by surprise. Ramsey lost his grip on Joe for an instant and dropped the ruler. Ramsey was in a frenzy. He no longer knew or cared what he was doing. He only knew that he had a helpless victim on whom he could pour out all his anger and frustration. He began beating Joe mercilessly, yanking Joe up by grabbing his jacket with one hand, and using the other hand to pound blow after blow on his victim.
Before Joe could react, Ramsey hit him twice in the stomach and swung the boy around as he attempted to escape. As Joe bent forward, gasping, the furious schoolmaster laid a backhand across the boys face. The blow snapped Joe’s head back, cracking it hard against the blackboard. The boy fell to the left, hitting the side of his face against a wooden bench. The bench and desk fell onto Little Joe with a loud clatter as he landed on the schoolhouse planked floor.
For an instant, Joe saw black but knew he could not let himself lose consciousness. If he did, Mr. Lowell would never stop hitting him and he had no chance of getting out of the schoolhouse. Blood ran down his forehead from where it had scraped the bench and he couldn’t see clearly. His ears were ringing with a roar.
The schoolmaster loomed over him; his hands balled into fists at his side, his brown vest bulging across his fat belly. Joe couldn’t see straight or catch his breath and for the minute was frozen, trapped under the desk. The injured boy reached up with the back of his left hand and tried to wipe the blood from his eyes. As he did, the frightened boy realized he was seeing double. There were two ugly piggy Lowells towering over him.
With one hand, Lowell grabbed the wooden pointer from the hook on the wall and walked towards the trapped boy. The vision of two angry Ramsey’s were screaming at him. Joe blinked, trying to clear his eyesight and find a way to escape.
”We’re not finished yet, boy.” He lifted the bench off Little Joe and swung the pointer at him viciously. He caught Joe on the shoulder and Joe turned quickly to duck, putting his back to the blows. He pulled his shoulders up and tried to protect the back of his head with his arms. He was pinned between the wall and his attacker and had no place to escape Ramsey’s rage.
Ramsey raised the pointer over his head and swung again and again hitting Joe hard across his shoulders and back. He was so enraged that he missed Joe and caught the edge of the desk, shattering the pointer as it hit. For an instant he paused, giving Joe a minute to try to escape. Knowing it was now or never, Joe rolled over and kicked the bench as hard as he could. It spun across the floor and caught Ramsey in the gut.
“Arg !” Ramsey Lowell bellowed like a wounded bull. He bent over double, the wind knocked out of him. giving Joe a second to get free from where he was cornered. Joe rolled away again and quickly staggered to his feet. The half open schoolhouse door was a few steps away and Joe dove at it. “
He knew this was his one chance to escape and made the most of it. He yanked open the door and despite his wounds, desperately jumped down the stairs. His booted feet hit the wet top step and he skidded, tumbling head over heels down the six wooden steps. Joe landed with a crash at the bottom of the stairs. This time he could not fight the blackness that filled his eyes and he lay on the wet ground, his face in the mud. His ears were filled with an explosive roaring and everything turned red, then black.
When he opened his eyes again everything seemed strangely quiet. He was cold and wet and very confused. Something inside of him told him to run, get away and get home. For a minute he could not move. He blinked his eyes to try to see what was going on as he lay face down on the sodden ground. He realized he could only see with one eye and raised his filthy hand to rub his eyes. Every part of him hurt as he struggled to stand up. He winced as he grabbed hold of the railing with his left hand and pulled himself up. The sky was purple gray and the sun was going down behind the school house. Joe shivered. He was soaking wet through his thin blue jacket.
His ears were still ringing. Suddenly he felt a pair of hands on his shoulders. He tried to pull away.
“Mr. Lowell?”
”Get out of here Joe “ a voice said hoarsely in his ears. It wasn’t Ramsey Lowell’s voice.
His head pounding, Joe could barely see a figure in a black cloak. A hat was pulled down low, red hair framing the face but Joe was hurting too badly to think clearly or to recognize who it was. His head was throbbing and fire was radiating from his back. He just wanted to get away from the furious pig-faced schoolmaster as fast as he could. Hands caught him below the arms and hauled him to his feet. Little Joe stood swaying; his stomach was in his throat as he fought down nausea. Joe felt himself prodded towards Lucky. He was shoved forward until his hands collided with wet leather and some how he wound up astride the mare.
Joe blinked, trying to make sense of his distorted surroundings: Lucky, a saddle, cold icy rain, hitting his bloody face. His right hand was raw and he couldn’t grasp the reins properly. His foot was urged into the stirrup, and somehow with assistance, he managed to drag himself onto the horse’s back. Slumping forward, he pressed his cheek to Lucky’s coarse mane. Joe was vaguely aware of his horse moving forward. He hurt all over and was more scared than he had ever been in his life. He tried to wipe his eyes with his jacket sleeve but he was still seeing only from one eye. All he could hear was the buzzing of thousands of hornets in his ears and he was sure he was stung all over. Dizzily, he tried to figure out what to do next.
“Get out of here, “ the voice said again. Joe heard a hand slap Lucky’s flank and he rode off into the freezing rain towards home.
Some how Lucky made it back to the Ponderosa in the rain with Little Joe slumped across the saddle. Lucky got him home. Joe looked up and realized they were right out side the barn. He managed to lean over, open the door and ride into the barn out of the freezing rain. He slid off the back of the horse and fell onto the straw covered barn floor. Joe slowly inched himself into a sitting position in the corner near the door. Each movement caused another wave of pain. He was shivering, but didn’t know whether the cold, the pain, the fear. or a terrifying combination of the three was causing it.
He finally managed to sit up but felt exhausted by the effort it took just to move that small bit. His right hand was cut and bleeding and he tried to tie his bandana around it. He began to feel light headed, dizzy and nauseous. The boy leaned over and vomited against the board wall again and again until he had the dry heaves. He had never felt so much pain in his life. Joe closed his eyes and slumped back against the barn wall shivering, feeling very alone. . Time ceased to have meaning. He wished his Pa was there and started to cry. He was uncertain about what to do next and hoped Adam would be home soon. He slid down into the hay and fell asleep.
Chapter 8
Adam rode into the yard. Rain was streaming down in cold sheets and he was bone weary. He tugged on the brim of his black hat in an attempt to keep the freezing rain out of his eyes but had little success as the wind gusted from the lake. He had spent most of the day with some hands moving the rockslide and freeing the strays that Joe and Daniel had found the day before. As he had planned with his father the night before, the hands headed up to join the crew, and Adam went back to the house to spend the night with his young brother.
Adam pulled his collar up against the wetness thinking how good it was going to be to have some hot coffee, dry clothes and put his feet up in front of the fire.
“Good thing we decided to move the herd to the winter pasture. This looks like were in for an early snow.”
The house was dark. Pitch dark.
Adam shook his head angrily “Dang, looks like Little Joe fouled up again. Why can’t he follow what Pa had told him to do? When is that kid going to realize his father meant business? When Ben told him to be home by nightfall he had good reason to say it. Now Adam was going to have to come down on him in their father’s absence. Certainly this was not going to make Joe happy with him. Adam had secretly been looking forward to riding up with Joe to meet the crew and surprise his father, but the conditions were that Joe obeyed what their father had laid out for him. That list included being done with his chores and in the house by sundown. Now Adam was going to have to spend the next three days punishing Joe rather than riding up to meet the crew like Joe wanted to do. This was definitely not the way he thought he would be spending his time, punishing a sulking Little Joe. The punishment to Joe was probably going to be more punishing to Adam if mule-stubborn Joe had his way.
“Hope I don’t have to ride out and hunt that kid up in this weather.” Adam thought grimly. He dismounted and led his horse into the barn. Maybe Joe was in there tending to Lucky.
In the gathering darkness, Adam saw the barn door swinging half open in the rain. “Doesn’t that boy even have enough sense to shut the barn door?” He led his horse inside. The stalls were all empty as every available mount was up with the roundup crew moving the herd. It was strange to see the emptiness. Even stranger was Joe’s horse Lucky, sitting saddled in the middle of his stall. Ben had taught his sons to tend their horses before they did anything else and that was always something Joe always did with out any reminders. Joe would always take care of the horses even before he ate dinner.
Adam tended to his horse in the dimness and then went over to remove Lucky’s saddle and put it away. Where was Joe? Could he have just gone inside and was coming right back to take care of the horse? Adam looked at his hand. There was blood on the saddle. Something was very wrong. From the shadows near the door Adam heard a faint moan. Was someone calling his name? He turned to hear what it was and saw a pile of rags or something in the pile of straw in the corner.
“Joe? Is that you” Adam called walking towards the voice.
“Adam, help me.” Little Joe called weakly. It wasn’t a pile of rags; it was his little brother lying in a dirty heap in the corner of the barn. Adam rushed over into the shadow and bent down to Joe. The poor kid was covered with mud and blood. Little Joe must have been tossed off his horse Adam thought as he looked at the wet wounded boy. Adam started to examine the boy. He was soaking wet and shivering. The thin blue jacket was covered in blood and vomit. He smelled awful. Joe’s left eye was already turning a deep blue and was swollen shut. Another large bruise covered Joe’s left cheekbone, and two smaller bruises were evident on Joe’s jaw. There were mats of dried blood and dirt in his wet, curly hair. The right side of his mouth was red and swollen. Blood crusted the side of Joe’s forehead where the skin had been scraped. A wide cut ran across Joe’s forehead where it had struck the schoolhouse bench.
Joe’s eyes were closed. Was his little brother dead?
Adam saw his chest moving up and down shallowly. His breathing sounded labored. Adam put his hand on the top of Joe’s head and gently stroked his brother’s hair. For a moment, there was still no reaction. Then Joe turned his head a bit. His eyes fluttered as if he were trying hard to open them. Joe turned his head a bit more. His eyes opened slowly.
“Joe?” he said softly. “Joe, can you hear me?” He cautiously touched his brother’s shoulder and Joe pulled away with a whimper.
Joe’s head turned slightly, and he gave a small moan. His eyes flickered opened, and Joe stared up at Adam in an unfocused gaze. He blinked his hazel eyes slowly and looked up at his big brother.
Adam had finally got home to him.
“Adam? I’m hurt real bad. Help me. Please.” the boy pleaded in a weak voice.
“Don’t worry little brother, I’ve got you. Put your arms around my neck.”
Adam picked up his bloody, shivering brother in his arms and carried him through the freezing rain into the house. Joe closed his eyes and leaned his face into his brother’s shoulder. He hung his left arm around his brother’s neck and held on for dear life as he was carried into his house.
Chapter 9
Adam carried his injured brother into the downstairs bedroom and placed him gently on the bed. He quickly lit the lamp and started to examine the injured boy. He took off Joe’s boots and carefully removed his filthy blue jacket.
Adam knew Doc Martin really should see his brother. There was no way the injured boy could handle the ride into town in the storm and certainly he couldn’t leave his brother alone for hours while he rode alone into Virginia City to hunt up the doctor and bring him back. Adam had to tend to him on his own.
“Lie still and I’ll be right back.” Adam directed. He quickly went into the kitchen and filled a basin with hot water and gathered up towels, bandages, and liniment. He carried them into the room and placed them on the table near the bed. Then Adam went into the great room and got a bottle of whiskey and a glass from the breakfront.
“What happened to you? Did you get thrown? “ Adam asked trying to figure how his brother got so badly injured.
“He whipped me.” Joe moaned.
“Who? Who beat you?” Adam was furious. He gently tried to peel his brother’s crusty, blood soaked shirt off him. As he did, he could see the deep wounds on his little brother’s shoulder and back and winced at the sight.
Who could have put such a beating to his brother? The kid was beaten raw with a stick or a strap. “Who did this? Joe? I’ll kill him.”
“Ramsey Lowell.”
“Wait until that son of a bitch sees what kind of beating I deal to him. No one does this to my brother and gets away with it.” Adam could hear his father’s deep voice saying “Let the law handle it, son.” He’d let Roy Coffee handle it after he was finished with Lowell.
“Stop Adam, you are hurting me. Wait until Pa gets back. He’ll do it. Please.”
”Joe, I got to get you cleaned up and bandaged now. Pa won’t be back for a long time. I know it hurts. Just lie as still as you can.”
Adam washed out all the wounds with soap and water. He knew he had to finish it by washing the deep wounds with some alcohol or infection would set in. Joe was thrashing around from the pain and Adam was struggling to hold him down.
“Stop Adam,” the boy shrieked. “Please.” Tears streamed down Joe’s face. He tried to pull from Adam’s firm grasp and knocked the basin of water to the floor.
Adam stepped back for a minute to catch his breath. He couldn’t stand inflicting any more pain on his brother but he knew he had to finish cleaning him up and bandage him. His hands were shaking. Joe groaned from the bed. “Leave me be.”
“Joe, I’m sorry but we have to finish. We are almost done.” Adam picked up the bottle of whiskey and poured three inches of golden liquid into the glass. He knelt down next to the bed. Adam held Little Joe upright in his arms and put the glass to his split lips. “Drink this.”
Joe took a large sip, thinking it was water and choked. He tried to spit it out but succeeded only in choking and gagging on the whiskey.
”Drink it!” Adam growled. “It will make you go to sleep.”
Joe started to cry pitifully ”I want my Pa. Adam leave me alone.” The injured little boy tried to pull out of his brother’s arms. He was trembling with pain and fear.
Adam turned away from the bed and stepped out into the dining room still holding the half-filled glass in his hand. He leaned his forehead against the cold wall and tried to collect himself. Joe’s sobs cut him to his heart. Adam had to regain his self-control or he would never get his brother calmed down and bandaged. If Little Joe knew how scared he was he would panic even more. The house was silent; the only noise he could hear was the faint tick of the grandfather clock near the front door. He frowned, feeling the silence was ominous for some reason. Then Adam shook himself. Stop acting like some old woman, he told himself.
Adam put the glass to his lips and drained it himself. He walked back into the kitchen and filled a cup halfway with hot water. He stirred in four heaping spoons of sugar until they dissolved and then added a few more. He topped that off with a good measure of the whiskey and stirred it thoroughly, hoping that Joe would be able to drink the sweet hot drink.
Adam walked back into the room and said as calmly as he could muster“ Joe, you have to do what I am telling you to do. Just like you would for Pa. Be brave. Please.”
He quietly bent down on one knee beside his brother. Joe stared at Adam, his hazel eyes looking glassy and unfocused. One side of his face was battered and swollen. He blinked his eyes twice, seeming to be struggling for consciousness.
Adam gently brushed back the curls from Joe’s bruised and damp forehead. “Could you do this for me, Little Brother?” he whispered softly. “This will warm you up. And you won’t be hurting so bad. It is just what Pa would do if he was here.”
Joe nodded. Adam lifted him gently and Joe swallowed a little of the warm sweetened whiskey from the cup. It made a burning trail as it went down. And he took a second and then a third sip.
“More Joe, just a few more sips.” Joe drained the rest. “Good fella.”
Adam took a deep breath. He knew he had to wait a few minutes for the drink to take effect on the boy. Joe held tightly to his hand.
“We are almost finished, Buddy. Hang on tight… this is going to be the worst. Then we’ll be done. “ He gritted his teeth and poured whiskey right from the bottle into all the wounds. Little Joe involuntarily tried to pull his arm back as the alcohol burned the raw wound. “Keep still!” Adam admonished. A sharp intake of breath from his patient caused Adam to pause for an instant.
”Stop Adam! It hurts!” Joe’s screams filled the house.
“I’m sorry, Little Joe, I’ve nearly finished.”
Adam quickly bandaged his brother’s shoulder and back. He went over to the dresser and found one of his father’s old shirts that had been put there. One last time he picked his shivering brother up in his arms and dressed him in Ben’s shirt. Then he took a towel and gently dried the boy’s wet hair.
Joe closed his eyes again and squeezed Adam’s hand waiting for the nausea to pass. The pain in his shoulder was getting worse and he felt himself losing consciousness from the whiskey Adam made him drink.
“Where’s Pa?” he asked trying to remain awake. His mouth felt dry and he couldn’t seem to take a breath. “I’m really cold Adam.”
Adam carefully pulled the blankets up around his brother. He arranged the pillows so that Joe was on his side and not resting on his wounded shoulder or back.
He gently put his hand on the boy’s forehead and felt for fever. Adam picked up the rag, dipped it in the water basin and wrung it out. He washed off Little Joe’s tear streaked face and put the cool cloth on his forehead.
Adam listened to the icy rain beat on the windows and the wind rattle the shutters. Joe shuddered at the sound and grabbed his brother’ hand fearfully.
Adam patted his hand and said softly “It’s just the rain. Lie back and rest.”
“The roundup crew is really going to have a hard night in this weather.” Adam thought.
“Joe, try to go to sleep now. I’ll sit right here with you.” He turned down the kerosene lamp.
“Adam, my head hurts real bad.” Rivulets of tears ran down Joe’s flushed and bruised face.
”Close your eyes and go to sleep, Buddy.” Adam smoothed Joe’s damp curls from his forehead.
A gust of wind blew another hard fist of freezing rain against the widows and a crash of thunder shook the ranch house. “What is that?” Joe asked trying to sit up. He was scared that someone, the angry, pig-faced schoolmaster was breaking into the house.
“Don’t worry, it’s just the wind coming for a visit.”
Then, as if the struggle were too much for him, Joe slowly closed his eyes. The whiskey and pain had finally done him in; Adam let go of his hand.
Adam stood by the bedroom door for a moment, listening. He heard the sound of Joe’s breathing as he finally fell asleep from the pain and exhaustion. Adam Cartwright walked with long strides to his father’s desk, and sat down in the familiar chair behind it. The creak of his father’s green leather chair seemed unnaturally loud to Adam in the empty house.Something about sitting at his father’s desk made him feel calmer and more able to deal with whatever he had to face. He felt less alone with the frightening responsibility of Joe’s welfare. He stopped and listened again he could hear frozen rain rattling the windows.
Sitting numbly in the familiar chair Adam slowly ran his fingers softly over the polished wood of Ben’s desk. He moved the ledger over a few inches and picked up the mail his father had been reading and restacked it. He was dog-tired, and could barely keep his eyes open. There was no way anyone was coming back to the ranch this day and maybe not even the next. He would be totally responsible for his brother’s care until someone came back. He had no choice now. Joe’s life depended on him.
The grandfather clock struck two and Adam suddenly realized he hadn’t eaten since lunch fourteen hours earlier and he had been up since dawn on Friday morning. He carried Little Joe’s soiled clothes and all the soiled linen in a heap to the washroom. Then he went upstairs and washed up and took off his filthy clothes a changed into fresh ones. He gathered up blankets and pillows and made himself a bed on the floor next to his brother. Next he went into the dark kitchen. He made himself a sandwich and ate it standing in the kitchen listening for any sound from the boy.
He walked back into the room. Joe was sound asleep. Pulling off his boots he lay down on the floor next to his brother and fell into an exhausted asleep. At last, close to three- thirty in the morning, Little Joe seemed to be sleeping soundly. There was nothing else he could do now. It was now up to his brother to recover.
Chapter 10
Late Saturday
A trip that should have taken him a couple of hours, three at worst was taking him all day. He wasn’t even half way home in the storm. Ben started to ride down the narrow trail that over looked Cherry Creek. The rain was now falling harder than ever, and the ground was turning muddy and wet. Ben couldn’t remember the last time it had rained this hard for so long.
He noticed that deep puddles were forming as the rain came down too hard and fast for the ground to absorb after the weeks of down pours. The stream was becoming swollen as the run off filled it to flood level. Ben started riding faster but realized he was being foolish. There was no way he was going to make it home tonight. Pulling his hat down, Ben tried to decide what to do next .He was soaked to the skin and would have given any thing for a dry set of clothes and a cup of hot coffee. He had a bad feeling about this storm, and didn’t want to be trapped on the trail.
A jagged bolt of lighting slashed across the sky, diverting Ben’s attention. He was filled with a sense of despair and frustration. There was no way he was making it back to the Ponderosa this day or head up to the crew. In the dark he would wind up drowning in one of the overflowing creeks before he hit his ranch house. This was flash flood country and he knew he better get to higher ground than where he was now.
Ben decided he better head towards one of the line shacks for the night and head home in the daylight. Urging Buck onward, Ben decided he better find a dry place for the night and get a fresh start at daybreak. Adam and Little Joe would just have to manage one more night without him.
Chapter 11
Monday Morning
Adam came out of the kitchen to hear the noise a horse outside followed by the sound of feet approaching the front door, then frowned as a loud knock convinced him it wasn’t his father wanting to enter. He sighed as he walked forward, glancing again at the clock, wondering who would be calling so early in the morning. He had hoped it was his father finally getting back.
He surprise at finding the Sheriff on his doorstep turned to concern as he invited his father’s old friend, Roy Coffee inside.
“Morning Adam”
“Roy, I was hoping you were Pa,” Adam said “ but I sure am glad to see you!”
”Is Little Joe around? “ Sheriff Coffee asked.
“He’s in bed, that’s why I’m so glad to see you…”
Roy interrupted him “ Have either of you seen the Lowells the last couple of days?”
”The Lowells? No, we’ve been here. Joe got hurt bad and everyone else is gone from the place. It’s been just the two of us since Friday night. Pa went up to Carson City to bail out those hands and everyone else is up working the herd.”
“Could you send the Doc up here? Please Roy” Adam asked finally relieved that someone would send his injured little brother some help.
“Let me talk to Joe” he put his hand on Adam’s arm. “I’m here on official business. The Lowells are missing. And Schoolmaster Ramsey is dead “
“What are you talking about, Roy?” The information too much for Adam’s exhausted mind to comprehend on Roy’s first recitation.
“Well, Adam, this morning the kids went up to the school house like any other morning. When no one rang the bell for them to go in one of them, that Newkirk boy, Dean, the blonde one, walked in to find out what was goin’ on. He found Ramsey dead. Looks like someone blowed his head off with a shot gun.”
“Nancy and Kate Wallace came a runnin’ for me down by my office. We sent them all home and closed down the school house for the next few days.”
“ Must have happened Friday from the way it looked,” Coffee added.
“And the Lowells?” Adam asked.
”Well that part is pretty mysterious Adam. When Clem went acrost the street to tell them about Ramsey and see why Danny and Puddin’ warnt in school, it looked like they all was cleared out of there with no notes or nothing”
”Now what were you sayin’ about your brother needed the Doc?”
“Take a look for your self, Roy.”
Adam took him to the doorway of the bedroom where Joe was still sleeping restlessly. The bruises on his face had turned a rainbow of blues and purples. One eye was badly swollen. The boy was pale and Roy could see all kinds of bandages on his shoulder. The boy slept with his bandaged hand propped up on a pillow.
“What the heck happened to him Adam? “ Roy was aghast at Little Joe’s injuries.
“Ramsey Lowell beat the tar out of him on Friday afternoon. I don’t know how Joe managed to ride home all this way so badly hurt, but I found him lying all bloody in the barn when I came in for supper.” Adam looked totally calm telling the story, but Roy saw that his hands were trembling and he looked like he hadn’t slept in days.
“You been tending your brother on your own all this time?”
Adam nodded. Roy put his arm around Adam’s shoulders.” Looks like both of you had a hard few days up here alone. I’ll make sure the Doc gets up here for you, Son.
“Thanks, Roy.”
“When are you expecting your Pa?”
”He was due back yesterday, but with the storm and all, who knows?” Adam moved into the room and tucked the blanket around Little Joe. “I suppose he could be back any time now.”
“I’ll see myself out, Adam. You take good care of him now and I’ll be sending the Doc up here right quick.”
Roy headed back to Virginia City at a gallop. He couldn’t get the image of poor Little Joe lying hurt back in the house. This whole business with Ramsey Lowell shot dead and the rest of his family missing was bad enough and now with Ben’s youngest hurt, this was getting more unsettling. He had to get out some men to look for the Lowells and hoped nothing had happened to them.
As he came to the fork in the road he saw his old friend Ben Cartwright approaching him on Buck.
”Roy what brings you out this way?” Ben smiled as he approached the sheriff but as soon as he saw the serious expression on his face he became alarmed.
”Ben, you better get home quick. Little Joe is in a bad way and Adam sent me for the Doc.”
Roy quickly told Ben about the murdered schoolmaster in town, the missing Lowells, and Joe’s injuries and the two men galloped off in opposite directions.
“Have a few more bites. You need to eat to get better,” Adam fed his brother the last of a bowl of stew sitting on the edge of the bed. Joe still looked awful and Adam was relieved that Roy would find the doctor for him. The fact that the man who beat up his brother was dead was a disturbingly strange paradox. And what happened to the Lowell family?
“I’m full, Adam. It’s enough.” Joe pushed the spoon away with his uninjured hand. “Tell me one of your stories.”
Adam was exhausted but glad to see the improvement in his brother. This was the first time Joe did more than sleep or ask for their father or lie quietly in pain.
“What kind of story, Buddy ?”
”One of those myth ones with Zeus and Atlas and the lightning fights and the feasts and all.”
”Bet you can’t wait for Hop Sing to be back and cook you something special.” Adam tried to cheer him up.
Joe nodded weakly. ”Your cooking stinks.”
They both heard the sound of a horse outside riding up fast and the front door opening. “Adam? Joe? Where are you, boys? Roy told me on the road.”
“”Here Pa. We’re in here.” Adam called. standing in the bedroom doorway. He was truly thankful that his father was there to take over.
””Pa, we’re glad you’re finally home,”
Ben rushed into the room. Little Joe sat half way up at the sound of his father’s step. The boy reached his slender arms toward his father for comfort. “Pa,” he whispered softly.
Ben frowned as he looked at his youngest boy’s battered condition. He felt Joe’s forehead. The boy felt warm and clammy. “How are you feeling, son?” asked Ben.
The left side of Joe’s bruised mouth twitched upwards. He tried to smile bravely but his face was too sore and his eye too swollen, “Hi Pa,” said Joe in a barely audible whisper. “I guess I forgot to duck.”
He started to cry with relief at finally seeing his father. “I missed you so much Pa. What took you so long?”
Ben leaned forward, engulfing the boy in his arms. “Oh, Joe,” he cried, stroking the soft brown curls. “It’s all right, I’m here now.” He gently pulled Joe toward him, and hugged his son to his chest. Ben closed his eyes and held Joe tight.
Adam breathed a sigh of relief. His Pa was back.
Continue to The Cherry Tree Saga Part 5
WomenWritersBlock 