Summary: Part eight of The Cherry Tree Saga
Word Count: 3300
The Cherry Tree Saga
Part 8
Chapter 1
Adam Cartwright was finally done with settling all his business in Boston. His bags were packed and he was ready to go home to Virginia City. He had arranged for a number of trunks and crates to be shipped to the Ponderosa as well as some special gifts for Kate and Sam to be sent to their home directly.
Adam and Dennis stood at the rail station in the rain saying their good byes. Adam had hoped to say their farewells at the offices of Stoddard and Bruce as he was not comfortable with a public display of emotion but Dennis insisted on accompanying him to the train in a hack.
“Don’t get me wrong Adam, Amanda and I are really happy for you. Your Kate must be truly wonderful for you to be so happy and finally, finally settle down.” Dennis was thrilled for Adam that he finally had found the woman that he wanted to marry. ”But I really hate to have you leave Boston. I know this time you won’t be coming back again. Don’t you think you can convince her to move here?”
“Would Amanda move to Virginia City?” Adam smiled. He knew the answer as well as he knew his own name.
Dennis shook his head and grinned knowing his wife thought anything west of Boston was the Wild West. “Are you sure Kate won’t move here?”
”No, Dennis. She owns the Enterprise and won’t budge. She loves Virginia City and I love her. I miss my family and the ranch…there’s no doubt in my mind that I am doing the right thing. More than any decision I ever made in my life. I know this is the right thing.”
Dennis and Adam had known each other for many years, ever since Adam had been in college and living with his grandfather Abel Stoddard. Dennis had worked for Stoddard and Bruce and the two young men became close and loyal friends. Their relationship had survived despite Abel Stoddard’s vicious deception and Adam leaving Boston.
Dennis married Amanda Bruce, the daughter of Abel’s partner Charles Bruce and grew to a valued member of the firm while Adam spent the next years on the Ponderosa. Each year, Dennis would write and try to get Adam to come back east and work for Stoddard and Bruce. Adam wouldn’t even consider it. He was happy in Nevada and would never trust his grandfather as long as he lived.
Years later, when Adam’s grandfather died, both he and Dennis inherited a share of Stoddard and Bruce and the two men became business partners. With the death his father in law, Charles Bruce, the following year, Dennis had the major interest in the firm based on Amanda’s inheritance but still looked at Adam as an equal partner and the brother he never had.
Eventually the call of adventure and seeing distant corners of the world became too strong for Adam to resist and he left the Ponderosa. For many years Adam worked for the firm and thoroughly enjoyed traveling the world. He savored never being in one place for very long, taking risks and living dangerously. The more exotic and remote a location was, the more he sought it out. He spent a year in South America supervising the building of railroad tunnels through the mountains and sailed to Europe more times than he could count.
But then Kate came into his life and totally changed his mind. All the traveling and strange ports and dangerous locations suddenly became an unwanted burden. All he wanted was to be with Kate in Virginia City. He was counting the days until he was by her side.
The two partners finally had decided that by expanding the direction of some of their shipping business and the construction company, Stoddard and Bruce could continue expanding into the west and Adam would supervise those areas from Virginia City and San Francisco. The west was booming and there were fortunes waiting to be made.
“It’s going to take a lot of hard work, Adam but I think it will be well worth the effort in the long run. I can’t think of someone I would trust more to do this than you, Cowboy.” He clapped Adam on the back.
“I’ll miss you Dennis and Boston and traveling all over the world but I have to go back home.”
“No need to make apologies to me, Adam. I hope you and your Kate are half as happy as Amanda and I have been over the years.” He pulled his friend over and the two men hugged. “You better go Adam, the train will leave with out you.
Almost two weeks later, Hoss and Joe met Adam’s stage in Virginia City just as he had requested. They had brought along the surrey but had decided to include Cochise and Chubb tied on the back.
The three brothers had been very vague about exactly what day Adam would arrive so that they surprise both Kate and their father. That morning, at breakfast, they told Ben they were meeting with Jack Fisher about a new lumber deal as an excuse to get into town. Earlier in the week, Hoss had invited Kate and Sam would like to join them for lunch at the International Hotel.
“Want to make sure she is gussied up, Joe. Don’t want Adam to see her for the first time in months when she ain’t the purtiest she can be.”
After greeting him when he got off the stage Joe and Hoss drove their brother directly to Kate’s little yellow house.
“Adam! Adam! You are home!” Sam ran out of the front door and jumped off the porch landing with both feet near the path barely missing the red geraniums Kate had planted there. Adam reached down and grabbed the boy and swung him up in the air and hugged him.
”Sammy! Look how tall you got. I brought you something,” He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a flat package wrapped in brown paper.
“Gee thanks, Adam. What is it?” Sam quickly tore open the paper to find a polished wooden box holding a set of dominos. “Gee I can use these tonight after dinner.”
”Where is your mama?”
Before Sam could answer him, Kate appeared in the open door. Adam smiled up at Kate as she stepped over the threshold. She looked even prettier than he remembered. Surprised to see who was in her front yard, she ran across the porch to the steps. “Adam! Kate shrieked with delight. “You are home!”
“Come here.” He swung her down from the top step to the ground next to him and she immediately threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. She gave him a tight hug and when he released her, she beamed up at him. “You look wonderful!”
Joe grinned at her surprise and went over to untie Cochise from the back of the surrey.
“Looks like we surprised her, Cupid.” Hoss smiled proudly at a job well done as he climbed on his horse.
“Looks like we did. “
“Well, it’s nothing like Boston or San Francisco but it is wonderful to be back in Virginia City. It’s good to be back home. I couldn’t wait to see you again.”
“Adam, I’m so glad you are here. You can’t imagine how wonderful it is to have you back home.”
Laughing at her enthusiasm he grabbed her around her waist and kissed her again. “I really missed you Katie. I thought I would never get back”
Holding out his arms, she melted into the warmth of him and he held her. She had thought of this moment for months while he was in Boston and now he was finally standing in her front yard. She didn’t even care that they had an audience watching.
Joe started taking Adam’s bags out of the back of the carriage. He put a tan leather case on the ground and piled some other bags next to it. “Sammy how about you come on out with us right now and Hop Sing will get you some lunch and Hoss will take you fishing before dinner? Go get your things and let’s get moving.”
Without a moments hesitation, Sam ran inside for his jacket and was back before Joe finished unloading the surrey.
”Hey what are you two doing?” Adam looked up at his brothers.
Joe grinned impishly “Gee Adam, we figured you two could use a few hours of getting reacquainted after all that time you were apart We’ll take Sam back home with us and you two can ride out to the Ponderosa in the surrey later on for dinner.” He handed Sam up to Hoss on Chubb and vaulted up on Cochise. “See you at dinner,”
Kate blushed. Adam started to laugh and said “Tell Pa that we’ll see him later.”
Kate opened the door quickly, ushering Adam inside. He tossed his hat onto the nearest chair, and swept her into his arms.
He kissed her again on the lips. She smiled as she pulled away from him, and stared up at the dark-eyed handsome man. “Adam Cartwright I don’t think I remember a time I wasn’t in love with you.”
Chapter 2
Adam Cartwright pulled his horse up at the barn. The yard was filled with horses tied up at the hitching rail and buggies and wagons sat parked near the barn. He was later than he had planned and would have to walk into the Cattleman’s meeting with out changing his clothes. Tying his horse to the rail by the barn Adam walked briskly across the yard.
He put his black hat on the fence post and walked over to the pump. He wet his bandana did his best to wipe a little of the trail dust off his face and hands. Then he headed toward the front door.
It was the first meeting that was held since he got back home from college in Boston three months earlier that his father had asked him to attend. Ben felt he could give some good information in support of his side in a disagreement over water rights on Cherry Creek. Some of the newer ranchers were in favor of damming the creek but Ben and some others felt that in the future this plan would create more problems with run off and the flooding would eventually be disastrous to the ranches downstream. Fearing tensions were running pretty high; Ben wanted his oldest boy by his side to keep tempers in check.
As he stepped onto the porch he heard a small voice from off to the side.” They’re all inside, Mister.”
Adam looked down. Seated on the floor behind the planter was a small girl drawing on a large pad of paper. She was wearing a cherry sprigged calico dress and had her head bent over her drawing. He straight brown hair fanned out as she leaned over. She was so engrossed in her task that she didn’t even look up at him. Her feet were bare and stuck between her toes were two spare pencils. Her shoes and stockings were neatly lined up next to her.
“Go right inside, Mister. My Uncle is in there too. He owns the Enterprise.”
“Um, are you sure it’s ok?” Adam teased her looking down at her artwork. She was drawing a detailed sketch of the Cartwright barn and the corral opposite her.”
That’s pretty good,” Adam said admiring her skill.
“Thanks. I can get the horses but I can’t get that barn right.” She still hadn’t looked up.
Adam kneeled down next to her and for the first time Kate looked up at the darkly handsome young man who was talking to her. “See, the roof just doesn’t look right?” She pointed with her finger at her drawing indicating where she was struggling.
”The horses are very well drawn. They look very real. Want some help with the barn?”
Adam took one of the pencils from between her toes. He took out his pocketknife and sharpened the pencil to a needle like tip. Kate’s eyes were on his strong hands, impressed with his easy skill. She always admired people who did things adeptly.
“May I?” She nodded as Adam flipped her pad to a fresh page and sketched the roofline of the barn and the angles of the corral. “You have to show that part on a diagonal over here and straight off this way and it will be more what you are looking for.”
Kate watched carefully “Oh, I see what to do. Gee you are pretty good, Mister.”
”Adam Cartwright,” he offered his hand. “And you are?”
”Katherine Wallace, but I prefer Kate. Gee, I’m sorry I didn’t realize you lived here. This is your house.“
Adam smiled and nodded. ”And you’re Hank’s daughter? “
”Yes, Katie Wallace”
“And you’re the Katie that Little Joe is always telling us about?”
”Guess so. Little Joe is my very good friend. We go to school together.” She put her attention back to her drawing. “You’re his big brother Adam?”
”One and the same.”
“You draw really well. Is that what you learned in college? My Aunt Mim said you were back east in college. She said you were really smart.”
Adam nodded watching how adept her drawing was. “She used to write to me all the time and send me copies of your uncle’s editorials. And your father used to help me with math when I was growing up.”
“My father is really quite good at math. He’s an engineer for Mr. Fischer at the mines.” She looked up and examined Adam’s face. She remembered him from when she was younger.
“Didn’t you used to come to our house and sit in the dining room and study with him?”
“Yes m’am. Your father helped me get into college to study engineering. That’s really a good drawing. “
”Thanks. My uncle said some day maybe I could be an artist or maybe write for the Enterprise.” Kate stopped for a minute. She had never told anyone about that conversation fearing they would laugh at her aspirations. Why was she telling Joe’s older brother? She paused, waiting for him to laugh or tell her that was a foolish idea for a little girl.
‘Well, Miss Kate. It really looks like you have the talent for it.” Adam nodded respectfully.
She shyly smiled at the compliment. “My uncle is inside at the meeting. He’s going to write about it in the paper. He said that some of the men are pretty angry about the water.”
“It’s a very important meeting.”
Kate looked up at him. He wasn’t laughing at her. Adam Cartwright was looking really serious she thought. No grown up other than her Aunt and once in a long while her father had ever treated her so seriously. He was talking to her like another adult, not in that phony cloying way that other adults talked to her. Kate turned her head to take pay more attention to him.
Through the open windows they could hear loud, angry voices arguing heatedly in the meeting.
“You don’t know what you are talking about!” someone shouted.
“Who do you think you are making those accusations?” Another loud voice answered.
The chairman’s gavel pounded loudly. “Gentleman, Gentlemen!” Ben Cartwright deep voice pleaded for order.
Angry male voices spilled out from the meeting. “Are you calling me a liar? Who the hell do you think you are?”
“I refuse to let my place be flooded so you newcomers can have your ease!”
“I better get into that meeting, Miss Kate. It’s has been a pleasure,” Adam tapped the brim of his black hat at her and strode into the front door of his house.
Kate flipped over to a fresh page and started a new picture of the horse corral. Centered in the middle of the page on a rearing horse was a handsome, black haired cowboy that looked very much like Adam Cartwright with his hand tapping the brim of his hat. With her freshly sharpened pencil, she drew a frame around the page filled with garlands of hearts and flowers.
Chapter 3
Phil Bartlett was finally working full time for the Enterprise and had come to the meeting in that capacity, Philip Bartlett, journalist. He was close in age to Adam and they would often spend evenings together discussing books or debating politics over beers in the Silver Dollar. Phil still operated the presses and kept them running. Frequently Little Joe and Kate helped him after school by folding paper or sweeping up. Phil was teaching Kate how to set type and she was becoming pretty adept.
Sitting beside his boss, Foster Wallace Philip took copious notes for the article that he would write. Every once in a while, Little Joe saw Foster lean over and point to something on the page or whisper a question in Phil’s ear.
From his perch on the top of the stairs, Little Joe had watched his brothers with great respect. Hoss stood on the sidelines listening quietly. Probably the biggest man in the room, he leaned casually against the stone fireplace. The chairs had been arranged to face Ben seated at his desk making the hearth the rear of the meeting room. Each time a newcomer entered, Hoss walked over and made sure he removed his gun belt and was deposited on the rack or in a big crate by the door.
“We don’t want trouble with hot heads.” Ben had told the boys. “Let them shoot off their mouths all they want but I want everyone unarmed.” Joe knew that the other ranchers were counting on Ben Cartwright to keep order and unanimously elected him chairman of the meeting.
In Adam, Joe saw the close physical resemblance to his father. He had the same broad shoulders and height as well as dark eyes. Joe saw that his oldest brother had Ben’s patience and persistence. Adam’s intense will would not bend. These men could not match his education, or stubbornness or skill in presenting the truth. Joe was impressed with his oldest brother, as he stood tall at the back of the room making his point about the water rights and the problems the damming would create in the future. It was the future that mattered not a short-term solution to the problem.
”Gentlemen, we have to make this decision based on long term impact on the region not a short term solution.” Adam had explained. “If we dam Cherry Creek we can change the drainage and run off for most of the area.”
Joe nodded his agreement whenever Adam looked his way for support. What impressed Joe most was when at the end of the meeting when the men walked out of their house, Adam put his arm around Joe’s shoulder’s and said, “We did it, buddy. There is no way they can get that law changed.”
“Adam, I am so proud of you son,” Ben threw his arm over his son’s shoulder.
“Pa there is no way the vote will go against us with Adam’s explanation.” Hoss observed as he started to move the furniture back in place. “Give me a hand with this Joe.”
Little Joe grabbed the other end of the settee and helped his brother face it the right way.
“Just you watch yourself the next few weeks, boys. There were a lot of angry men in this room,” Ben cautioned. “And the voting won’t be until the end of the month. A lot can happen between then and now. Just watch yourselves when you go into town.”
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